Latest Legal News from the Federal Criminal Courts in the United States

June 25, 2007

Former Port Lavaca Councilwoman Found Guilty of Voter Fraud

Debra M. Briseno found guilty of illegal voting

EDNA – A Jackson County jury today returned a guilty verdict against former Port Lavaca councilwoman Debra Martinez Briseno, 51. The jury found her guilty on two counts of illegal voting during the March 2006 Democratic primary, a third-degree felony. The punishment phase of the trial begins Monday. A third-degree felony carries a range of punishment of from two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

“Texans will never tolerate the contamination of our elections, and public officials who engage in voter fraud will certainly be held accountable, as today’s verdict shows,” said Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. “I am grateful for the assistance of Calhoun County District Attorney Dan Heard, as well as Jackson County District Attorney Bobby Bell in prosecuting this case.”

The Calhoun County District Attorney’s office received a complaint about Briseno’s activities then sought assistance from Attorney General Abbott. The resulting investigation with Calhoun County District Attorney Heard showed that Briseno, who was running for the office of county justice of the peace at the time, made it possible for noncitizens to falsely register to vote and then actually cast ballots in person during the primary, based on her advice.

Last month, Briseno’s trial was moved from Calhoun County to Jackson County on a change of venue motion.

Briseno was also indicted last August on charges of tampering with a government record, a state jail felony, which will be prosecuted separately. On those occasions, she visited local residents who were noncitizens and assisted them with voter registration. She represented to them that they needed only a valid driver’s license to become registered to vote as a U.S. citizen. She filled out the portion of the registration application inquiring of citizenship and affirmatively marked that these individuals were United States citizens.

Today’s verdict exemplifies yet another effort by Attorney General Abbott to crack down on voter fraud in Texas. Earlier this month, five Starr and Hidalgo County residents were indicted in Brooks County on various charges of voter fraud for their conduct during the 2006 election cycle. A grand jury returned felony indictments against the five defendants in an investigation that began with a complaint filed by Starr County Elections Administrator. That case is ongoing.