Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Releas­es Infor­ma­tion on the Indict­ments and Arrests of Nine Indi­vid­u­als, Includ­ing Pub­lic Offi­cials, for an Ille­gal Vote Har­vest­ing Scheme

HOUSTON – Attorney General Ken Paxton has released information on the indictments and arrests of nine people, including several public officials, for election crimes related to an ongoing vote harvesting scheme in Frio County. 

“Let me be crystal clear: the integrity of our elections is the bedrock of our democratic process, and any elected official trying to cheat the system will have to answer for it,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Under my watch, attempts to rig elections and silence the will of the voters will be met with the full force of the law. I will continue to fight to ensure Texas has free and fair elections and work with Frio County District Attorney Audrey Louis to ensure justice is served in this case.” 

In August 2024, Attorney General Paxton’s Criminal Investigation Division executed multiple search warrants in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar Counties as part of a multi-year election integrity investigation into credible allegations of vote harvesting. On May 1, 2025, Frio Grand Jury indicted six individuals including public officials for multiple counts of Vote Harvesting. 

On June 30, 2025, Frio County District Attorney Audrey Louis and the Election Integrity Unit of the Office of the Attorney General presented additional subjects of the criminal vote harvesting conspiracy to a grand jury in Frio County. The grand jury returned true bills for the following indictments:

• Chief of Staff to Texas State Rep Elizabeth Campos, Manuel Medina: 2 counts Vote Harvesting
• Former Candidate for Texas State Rep. District 80, Cecilia Castellano: 2 counts Vote Harvesting
• Frio County Commissioner Pct. 3, Raul Carrizales: 1 count Vote Harvesting
• Former Dilley Mayor, MaryAnn Obregon: 2 counts Vote Harvesting
• Former Dilley City Council, Inelda Rodriguez: 3 counts Vote Harvesting
• Former Candidate for Pearsall City Council, Davina Trevino: 1 count Vote Harvesting
• Pearsall ISD Board Trustee, Mari Benavides: 1 count Vote Harvesting
• Susie Carrizales: 1 count Vote Harvesting
• Rachel Leal: 1 count Vote Harvesting

Multiple suspects have self-surrendered and been processed. Attorney General Paxton’s Election Integrity Unit continues to investigate the case along with the Frio County DA.