3 women arrested in South Texas voter fraud investigation

Three women in southern Texas have been arrested on voter fraud charges.

The Brownsville Herald reports Sylvia Arjona was arrested and arraigned Monday on four counts of unlawful assistance of a voter. Sara Ornelas and Marcela Gutierrez were arrested on Tuesday. Ornelas was arraigned on three counts of unlawful assistance, while Gutierrez was arraign on 10 misdemeanor counts. Gutierrez was also arraigned for one second-degree felony count of illegal voting.

All three women turned themselves in to authorities. Allegations of voter fraud arose shortly after the runoffs in the City of Hidalgo.

The state’s Attorney General’s Office says the women worked as paid campaign workers for the 2016 runoff election for Hidalgo City Council seats. Criminal complaints allege the women provided assistance to voters who didn’t request it or need it. They’re accused of also suggesting “by word, sign, or gesture how the voter should vote.”

A grand jury additionally indicted Gutierrez on the felony illegal voting charge for knowingly marking another person’s ballot without their consent. According to a news release from the AG’s office, Gutierrez, who is not a U.S. citizen, allegedly led the person to believe she was demonstrating how to use a voting machine, “but instead cast votes on the voter’s ballot for a slate of candidates Gutierrez had been paid to support.”