9/23/2014
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Authorities are moving closer to the top in the "coke for votes" scandal after arresting a man who ran the campaigns for candidates running for the Donna ISD school board.
FBI agents arrested Francisco "Frankie" Garcia on conspiracy and election fraud charges on Friday.
Investigators told Action 4 News that Garcia was the campaign manager for candidates in the 2012 school board race.
Garcia allegedly instructed at least five "politiqueras" or campaign workers to pay cash or cocaine for votes.
Authorities have not released the names of the candidates or if the vote buying affected the outcome of the race but three campaign workers that worked for Garcia are all facing charges.
FBI officials reported that agents arrested Garcia in Alton, Illinois.
Details about the arrest were not immediately available but Garcia appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald G. Wilkerson in East Saint Louis, Illinois on Friday.
Court records released on Monday revealed that Garcia is facing a four-count, four-gage indictment issued by a grand jury in McAllen.
Judge Wilkerson issued Garcia a $10,000 dollar bond bu a series of strict conditions including not being able to come within 1,000 feet of a polling place.
Garcia was ordered to appear for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos in McAllen on October 8th.
Election records show that incumbents Ernesto Lugo, Alfredo Lugo, Mike Flores and Nick Castillo all kept their seats on the school board during the election.
Investigators confirmed that Alfredo Lugo, who also served as Donna ISD's school board president, took his own life on New Year's Day.
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