Former San Luis mayor admits to ballot abuse

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - An admission of guilt following the 2020 general election that's been under so much scrutiny.

In December of 2020, Guillermina Fuentes, along with another suspect, were indicted on one count of ballot abuse also known as “ballot harvesting”.

66-year-old Guillermina Fuentes changed her plea to guilty, Thursday in court, now facing up to three years probation or up to two years behind bars.

Guillermina Fuentes pleading guilty to ballot abuse, which is a class six felony committed on August 4, 2020.

According to more than 20 documents obtained from Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office, by the Associated Press, after over a year of requests, investigators say it appears Fuentes used her position as a "powerful democratic figure” to get residents to give her, or others, their ballots to return to the polls.

This being the only case ever brought by the Attorney General under the 2016 law, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme court last year.

We spoke to him about the case right before her court appearance.

“No one takes election integrity more serious than I do. Our office prosecuted it the person is entering a guilty plea,” said Brnovich.

Fuentes was accused of collecting four ballots during the 2020 Primary Election in violation of the law that only allows a caregiver or family member to return someone else’s early ballot.

Reports show the alleged illegal ballot collection by Fuentes and her co-defendant happened in plain sight outside the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center on the day of the Primary Election.

Fuentes was caught on video with several mail-ballot envelopes, pulling out the ballots and in some cases marking them, at a table set up by supporters of a slate of city council candidates.

San Luis Resident, Gary Snyder, claims he put up hidden cameras at the ballot drop boxes to capture this footage.

The ballots were then taken inside the cultural center and deposited in a ballot box.

Snyder hopes the judge hands here the harshest punishment.

“For a case like this it’s very rare to present its opportunity, so when it comes down to the sentencing, I hope this judge or judges use the full extent of the law,” said Snyder.

While local David Lara says she should face a higher sentence.

“A class six felony is just a skip away from a misdemeanor. What this is doing is basically telling criminals that it’s going to be a slap on the wrist. This is no way a deterrent,” said Lara.

Fuentes will be back in court for sentencing on June 30th.