Attorney General could prosecute Chente Quintanilla
The office of the State Attorney General confirmed Thursday it has an open investigation into former State Rep. Chente Quintanilla related to voter fraud.
In an open records request, ABC-7 asked the Attorney General for any documents related to the issue. Assistant Attorney General Amy Shipp wrote the office could not release the information because it “relates to an open and pending criminal investigation being conducted by the OAG’s Criminal Prosecutions Division… Release of this information would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime.”
The issue stems from 2014 allegations made by former Justice of the Peace for Precinct Six, Rosalie Dominguez. In a civil suit, she accuses Quintanilla and her former opponent Enedina Nina Serna of election manipulation.
Dominguez said she hired private investigating firm Advocate Investigations who allegedly uncovered Serna and Quintanilla signed up seniors for absentee ballots for homebound residents and unlawfully picked up the ballots at their homes. “It’s against the law to be picking up people’s ballots and especially if you’re the one running for office and you’re picking up people’s ballots, it’s illegal,” said Dominguez.
Dominguez has told ABC-7 she turned over the information to the Texas Attorney General, which sparked the investigation.
Quintanilla on Tuesday was handedly defeated by incumbent Mary Gonzalez, shooting down his efforts to gain his old seat back. He did not return calls seeking comment Thursday.
A spokeswoman with the El Paso District Attorney’s office said the office had not received a case from the Attorney General related to the issue, signaling the investigation is being handled by the state.
