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Frio County Judge arrested in election scheme, accused of taking advantage of elderly voters

Five others, including a former Frio County election administrator and two city council members, were also indicted in an elections investigation

The Frio County Sheriff’s Office said county judge Rochelle Lozano Camacho turned herself into the Frio County Jail on Friday afternoon. (Frio County Sheriff's Office)

FRIO COUNTY, TexasOne week after she was indicted in connection with an alleged vote harvesting scheme, KSAT Investigates has learned the Frio County Judge has been arrested for her role in the case.

The Frio County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Rochelle Lozano Camacho turned herself into the Frio County Jail on Friday afternoon. Camacho, who faces three counts of vote harvesting, had been dealing with a medical issue.

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KSAT first reported about the arrests of the suspects last week, including a former Frio County election administrator and two Pearsall City Council members. Court records show they are accused of paying for vote-harvesting services targeting elderly voters.

FCSO deputies arrested five suspects on May 2:

  • Pearsall City Council member Ramiro Trevino on one count of vote harvesting
  • Pearsall Independent School District board member Adriann Ramirez on three counts of vote harvesting
  • Former Frio County Elections Administrator Carlos Segura on one count of tampering with evidence
  • Pearsall City Council member Racheal Garza on one count of vote harvesting
  • Rosa Rodriguez, who the 81st Judicial District Attorney said is an alleged vote harvester, on two counts of vote harvesting

According to search warrants and affidavits, which KSAT Investigates has requested for days, the state attorney general’s office began investigating election fraud claims in Frio County after a candidate for county judge, identified as Mary Moore, filed a complaint in November 2022.

Moore ran against Camacho in the race for Frio County Judge in 2022. Both ran as Democrats, and Camacho later won the runoff and the general election.

Records state Moore told investigators she began her own investigation after receiving tips that Camacho hired Cheryl Denise Castillo to collect mail ballots for her. Public records show Castillo died in October 2024.

Moore said she looked at several of the ballots and found Castillo, who has not been charged, filled out several of the ballots without noting she had assisted anyone.

According to an affidavit, Moore went to the Pine Hill Estates II, a nursing home, and got video of Camacho, Rodriguez, Ramirez, Castillo and a woman who has not been charged walking out of a resident‘s home. The records state Moore saw Camacho walk up to Rodriguez and another woman‘s car with “what appeared to be carrier envelopes.”

KSAT reached out to Moore on Wednesday afternoon, but she has not responded.

The investigator from the attorney general’s office noted that he found Rodriguez and Castillo helped fill out several of the mail-in ballots.

“Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballot by mail, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot,” according to court records.

According to court records, Castillo told a Frio County elections worker about how certain candidates would pay her through a relative’s Cash App to fill out mail-in ballots, pick them up and drive voters to vote curbside.

Segura is accused of concealing 2023 applications to vote by mail “with the intent to impair the availability of the documents and records as evidence in any subsequent investigation related to the offense,” records show.

Trevino is accused of knowingly providing vote harvesting services to Camacho in exchange for money, gas, lunches and/or employment with Frio County,” in September 2022, the indictment states.

On Wednesday morning, Attorney General Ken Paxton shared the following statement on the investigation:

“The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system. Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law. My office will continue to work with Frio County District Attorney Audrey Louis to protect the integrity of our elections.”

81st Judicial District Attorney Audrey Gossett Louis also shared a statement about the indictments.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.

More coverage of this story on KSAT: