HOUSTON, Texas — A South Texas 47-year-old man is accused of giving out cocaine in Donna, Texas in order to secure votes for candidates in the 2012 school board elections. He will reportedly appear in federal court next month to face charges of voter fraud and conspiracy.
Frankie Garcia gave voters either a baggie of cocaine or $10 to secure their votes, an indictment obtained by Breitbart Texas claimed.
The court document said that an unnamed individual, “Person A,” brought townspeople to see Garcia after they cast their votes. “Garcia paid the voters by giving the voters either a dime bag of cocaine or cash in exchange for their votes,” the indictment said. “Garcia paid the voters for voting by dropping $30 into the car in which they were seated, through an open car window, after they voted.”
Although the alleged fraud took place in November 2012, Garcia was only arrested on Thursday, according to The Monitor. FBI agents discovered him in southern Illinois.
Garcia’s arraignment hearing is set for October 8.
The Donna school board has been plagued with controversy in recent months. The former school board president, Alfredo Lugo, hanged himself on New Years Day, Breitbart Texas previously reported. The suicide came mere days after three other school board members–Guadalupe Escamilla, Rebecca Gonzalez, and Diana Castañeda–plead guilty to “buying” the 2012 election with cash and alcohol.
A prosecutor reportedly stated that Garcia worked for the same candidates as Escamilla, Gonzalez, and Castañeda.
Breitbart Texas attempted to reach the school board’s current president, Ernesto Lugo, by email to inquire about the recent news. Lugo did not immediately respond.
Follow Kristin on Twitter @KristinBTate.
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