Zapata County, Texas, is at the center of a state‑level criminal investigation into alleged voter‑fraud and bribery schemes. The Office of the Texas Attorney General’s Criminal Division Election Integrity Unit obtained search warrants for the homes of County Judge Joe Rathmell and his wife, Sheriff Ramon Montes and his wife, the sheriff’s secretary Norma Garcia and her husband, campaign worker Laura Garza, and Justice of the Peace Olga Bruni. Phone and bank records were seized, according to affidavits unsealed by The Center Square.
Background of the probe
The probe began after former Zapata County Sheriff Raymundo Del Bosque, a Democrat who lost his March 2024 primary, alleged that his opponent and other officials engaged in illegal voting practices. Del Bosque sued the county, lost the civil case, and the Attorney General launched the criminal investigation in September 2025.
Del Bosque’s record and current appeal
Del Bosque was first elected sheriff in 2020 and quickly became a key participant in Operation Lone Star, working alongside Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez to interdict cartel traffickers along the Rio Grande. He secured unprecedented Operation Lone Star grants that funded new patrol vehicles, upgraded jail facilities, body‑worn cameras, protective gear, and modern communications. The state legislature also raised deputy and jailer salaries during his tenure.
Now, the former sheriff is urging the Texas Legislature to launch an independent investigation and to pass additional election‑integrity reforms. “Zapata County deserves answers, not silence,” he told The Center Square. “I have spent my life believing in the badge, the Constitution, the rule of law, and the responsibility we have to protect the people we serve.”
Allegations detailed in the affidavits
The unsealed affidavits allege vote‑harvesting, bribery, abuse of official capacity, compensated voter assistance, political coordination, and possible misuse of public authority in two recent elections, including the March 2026 Democratic primary for county judge. Del Bosque emphasized that “when multiple affidavits raise such serious allegations, the people deserve an independent examination.”
Legislative response
State House and Senate leaders have created interim select committees to address election‑fraud concerns. Bipartisan investigative committees have previously held hearings on similar issues in border counties such as Duval, Jim Hogg, Starr, Hidalgo, Atascosa, Bexar, and Frio.
Recent Secretary of State audits, like the one in Val Verde County, uncovered procedural failures that could enable fraud, including staff’s inability to explain how voter‑registration lists are validated and outdated voter records.
Democratic voices join the call
Democrat Martha Moralas, who also contested the March 2026 primary, asked the Attorney General to investigate alleged assisted voter fraud. Though her case was dismissed for procedural timing, she and Del Bosque have appealed to President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice for a federal review. “I am a Democrat asking a Republican president for help because I refuse to believe that justice has a party,” Moralas said.
Community impact
Both Del Bosque and Moralas stress that Zapata County’s hardworking residents deserve elections where every legal vote is protected. They warn that ignoring these concerns could erode trust in public office and disenfranchise ordinary citizens.
“Zapata County needs help. Please don’t ignore Zapata County,” Del Bosque concluded, urging state and federal authorities to act swiftly.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
