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n Arizona Democrat has been sentenced to 30 days in jail because of her involvement in a local ballot harvesting scheme during a 2020 municipal election.
Guillermina Fuentes, a 66-year-old school board member and former mayor of the border town of San Luis, was ordered Thursday to turn herself in to the Yuma County Jail, according to the office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich. She was also placed on two years of probation.
Fuentes, alongside her associate Alma Juarez, earlier this year pleaded guilty to one count each of ballot abuse. She was accused of illegally collecting early ballots from four individuals who were not her family members during the August 2020 primary. Investigators reported at that time that she was using her position in the San Luis community to persuade local voters to let her or her acquaintances deposit their ballots.
According to the report (pdf), the Arizona Attorney General’s office started investigating Fuentes following a complaint of a potential case of voter fraud. Video evidence provided to investigators apparently showed that Fuentes was collecting and filling out ballots at a table outside a polling place.
“A group of subjects, lead by Guillermina Fuentes were seen on video manning a table and appearing to be supporting particular candidates,” the report reads. “A female identified as Alma Juarez approached the table and made contact with a second female identified as Guillermina Fuentes. Fuentes is ultimately observed taking a ballot from Juarez.”
