FRIO COUNTY, Texas – Five suspects, including two Pearsall city council members, appeared in a Frio County courtroom Friday morning after they were charged in a state-led election investigation.
The suspects’ court appearances come just days after investigators executed new search warrants related to a possible vote-harvesting scheme in Frio County.
At this time, no one connected to the newly issued warrants has been charged.
All five suspects entered not guilty pleas Friday before a Frio County judge. The suspects’ time inside the Frio County Courthouse lasted approximately 15 minutes.
The only suspect who did not appear in court on Friday was former Frio County Elections Administrator Carlos Segura.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) held a news conference following the hearing. The news conference can be seen below.
KSAT first reported about a Frio County grand jury indicting six people, including a former Frio County election administrator and two Pearsall City Council members, earlier this month.
Frio County sheriff’s deputies arrested the following suspects on May 2:
- Pearsall City Council member Ramiro Trevino on one count of vote harvesting
- Pearsall Independent School District board member Adriann Ramirez on three counts of vote harvesting
- Former Frio County Elections Administrator Carlos Segura on one count of tampering with evidence
- Pearsall City Council member Racheal Garza on one count of vote harvesting
- Rosa Rodriguez, who the Frio County Sheriff’s Office described as a campaign worker, on two counts of vote harvesting
A sixth suspect, Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho, was arrested on May 9, FCSO confirmed. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct suspended her from the position without pay.
Court records show several suspects are accused of paying for vote-harvesting services targeting elderly voters.
All six suspects are expected to make their next court appearances on July 10.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
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