Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts in Edna, Texas

July 03, 2007

Former Port Lavaca Councilwoman Briseno to Serve Five Years In Prison for Voter Fraud Debra M. Briseno also admits to judge to registering noncitizens to vote

EDNA – A former Port Lavaca city councilwoman today was sentenced to five years in prison for committing voter fraud during the March 2006 primary election. A Jackson County jury found Debra M. Briseno, 51, guilty Friday of registering noncitizens to vote. Briseno, who ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for county justice of the peace in that election, also facilitated noncitizen voting by tampering with government documents. The offense of illegal voting is a third-degree felony.

Briseno accepted the five-year prison term as part of a sentencing agreement with the prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General, the Calhoun County District Attorney and the Jackson County District Attorney.

“Texans will not tolerate illegal schemes that undermine the integrity of the electoral process,” said Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. “Voters can rest assured the Office of the Attorney General will protect the ballot box by aggressively enforcing election laws. We are grateful to Calhoun County District Attorney Dan Heard and Jackson County District Attorney Bobby Bell for their hard work in this case and their commitment to fair elections.”

Under the sentencing agreement, Briseno admitted that she and her husband, Richard Morales, lied to the jury during their testimony last week. Both falsely testified that their voter registrants were informed that only United States citizens can legally vote. Admitting to aggravated perjury, Briseno acknowledged that she did not ask registrants about their citizenship, nor did she inform them that only United States citizens are eligible to vote. As a result, Briseno registered noncitizens to vote in Calhoun County, and thereafter lied about her efforts at trial.

In open court Briseno admitted to one count of tampering with a government record, a state jail felony. In this instance, she visited local residents who were noncitizens and assisted them with their voter registration. She informed them that they needed only a valid driver’s license to become registered to vote. Under Texas law, noncitizens can obtain a driver’s license but are not eligible to vote. Briseno then filled out the portion of the registration application inquiring about citizenship and falsely claimed that the individuals were citizens.

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