The investigation dates back to 2022 and accuses several officials of paying others for collecting ballots in their behalf.
SAN ANTONIO — Records from a Texas attorney general’s office investigation into alleged vote harvesting in Frio County – just southwest of San Antonio – show how the probe zeroed on in two women who authorities say systematically sought support for candidates in exchange for compensation.
One of those women, Maria del Carmen Vela, was paid in Dr. Pepper sodas, cigarettes and gas by a candidate running for the Pearsall ISD School Board, according to search warrants for phones seized by several individuals this month. The other, Cheryl Denise Castillo, had allegedly offered vote harvesting services for so long that the community thought she was legitimate elections department personnel.
Investigators found both operated in a similar way: “by getting victim voters signed up for mail-in ballots before later approaching them,” allegedly to get the ballot submitted in favor of whichever candidate was paying them.
Both are now accused of vote harvesting, which refers to when someone interacts with voters and intends “to deliver votes for a specific candidate or measure,” according to Texas Election Code. It’s a crime in the state for someone to handle a voter’s ballot in exchange for compensation.
Six people – including Frio County Judge Rochelle Lozano Camacho and two Pearsall City Council members – have already been arrested and charged in connection with the ongoing investigation, which goes back to December 2022. Their arraignments are set for Friday.
How the probe began
According to records, an investigator with the Election Integrity Unit – an arm of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office – began looking into claims of vote harvesting in late 2022, when it was reported that Castillo was hunting for elderly voters’ mail-in ballots, so long as they voted for the candidates who hired her.
The investigator later found Castillo and Vela “were the vote harvesters most consistently identified by witnesses” in a county where vote harvesting is allegedly so common that they competed against each other by working for opposing candidates in city, county and school board elections.
The investigation has since grown; the cell phones of several Frio County officials and former candidates were seized in the last week as the attorney general’s office continues examining how widespread the vote harvesting was.
‘Going to be behind him’
One of the people Vela is accusing of collecting mail-in ballots for, the records show, is Louisa Martinez, who in the spring of 2023 was running for the Pearsall ISD School Board. A woman working for Martinez allegedly told investigators they “knew (the election) would be tough to win,” and admitted to providing Vela soda, cigarettes or gas in exchange for collecting ballots on Martinez’s behalf.
Martinez told investigators she was aware of the compensation, documents say, and “acknowledged that she was hopeful” Vela could help her. She ended up losing by just two votes, but outgained her opponent, 259-229, in early walk-in and mail-in balloting.
Records show Vela admitted to supporting Martinez in 2023 by securing mail-in votes for her. There was another person she admitted to harvesting votes in exchange for money for gas and drinks: Joe Vela, Carmen’s brother, who was running for Frio County Commissioners Court.
Carmen allegedly helped Joe during both his March 2024 primary and May 2024 primary runoff, having been paid hundreds in the weeks leading up to both elections. According to investigative documents, Joe Vela told the attorney general’s office he didn’t think a runoff would have been necessary if “Carmen “had not forgotten 25 mail-in ballots in Derby.”
Joe Vela won his election and currently represents Precinct 1.
Going undercover
“Good afternoon. This is what I’ll be charging for the election: 2,100 each.”
According to records, that’s what Castillo allegedly texted four candidates on Feb. 27, 2023, in an attempt to be hired to collect votes on their behalf.
“I want 1000 up front and then you will have 2 months to pay me the rest of the 1000,” Castillo allegedly texted. “This is the lowest I could go… and I will take turns with y’all for gas and stamps.”
While it’s unclear exactly how long Castillo is accused of having operated in this way, the attorney general’s office found her methods were systematic.
One of the people who allegedly paid Castillo to collect mail-in ballots on their behalf: former Pearsall Mayor Davino Trevino-Rodriguez.
“Several voters informed investigators that Castillo worked for candidates and that Castillo had influenced their vote,” records say.
Those also include then-Frio County sheriff candidate Peter Salinas, who called Castillo on the spot while he was speaking with investigators in December 2023, according to records.
Castillo ended up offering her services to him.
“(She) stated that she puts herself only in situations where she can see who the voters vote for,” records state. “Castillo stated that she will not take a voter’s mail-in ballot if they want to vote for the candidate who she is not working for.”
The next month, a cooperating witness took a state-issued recording device into a meeting between Castillo and a man working for then-Texas House candidate Cecilia Castellano (she would go on to lose to former Uvalde Mayor Con McLaughlin).
In audio from that meeting, records say, Castillo can be heard explaining her ballot-collecting operations and “intentions to provide those services for elections in 2024.”
They also discussed paying Castillo through CashApp—payments which her daughter accepted on her behalf, records say.
In a different audio-recorded conversation, Castillo can be heard saying that “Davina could not win her election by herself.”
Two other prominent leaders – Pearsall ISD School Board Secretary Mari Benavides and Frio County Commissioner Raul Carrizales – allegedly enlisted Castillo’s services. According to documents, Benavides paid Castillo the full $2,100 and even offered to help with the process.
Carrizales, meanwhile, messaged Castillo in early 2022 to inquire about her services.
“He really wanted her on his side,” records say, adding Castillo responded with admiration for the job he had done as county commissioner.
“Castillo stated that if she was alive and well, then she will help Raul in his next election,” records state.
According to documents related to the probe, Carrizales’ team knew Castillo was being investigated. But they wanted to ensure she wouldn’t work for his opponent.
A woman working on Carrizales’ behalf gave Castillo three $1,000 payments, according to documents, and he easily won the 2024 Democratic Primary before running unopposed that November.
Who is accused of vote harvesting?
In addition to the handful of current and former officials arrested earlier this month, those now accused of vote harvesting – whether through someone else or on behalf of someone else – include:
- Carlos Segura, the former Frio County elections administrator
- Rochelle Lozano Camacho, Frio County judge
- Joe Vela, Frio County commissioner
- Raul Carrizales, Frio County commissioner
- Susanna Carrizales
- Mari Benavides, Pearsall ISD School Board secretary and trustee
- Maria del Carmen Vela
- Cheryl Denise Castillo
Investigators are now seeking to be able to search through the phones of several people, including some of those listed above, for more evidence as the probe continues to unfold.