Jurors deliberate in conspiracy trial of ex-state Sen. Frank Artiles
MIAMI-DADE - Jurors in the election conspiracy trial of former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles were deliberating Monday.
Closing arguments from the defense and prosecution concluded earlier Monday.
Artiles, 50, is accused of offering $50,000 to Alex Rodriguez, the so-called "ghost candidate," to run for office in the Florida Legislature in 2020 and to cause the Democratic incumbent to lose the election by syphoning votes away from the Democrat in the razor-thin race.
Rodriguez said he was given $25,000 before the election and $25 afterward.
The four charges, which each carry a prison sentence of five years in prison, are campaign contributions excess of $1,000, campaign contributions conspiracy, ethics code false swearing to an oath, voter registration fraud information.
Placing a "ghost candidate" on the ballot is not illegal, but paying for it is.
The state is arguing that Artiles, a former Republican state senator, made illegal contributions and encouraged Rodriguez to run for the Senate in District 37.
The defense said the money was a loan for a business transaction and unrelated to the 2020 election in which Rodriguez ran for state Senate as an independent candidate.
Defense attorney Frank Quintero portrayed Rodriguez as a scam artist who stole thousands of dollars from Artiles.
The witness said he had a driver's license in Palm Beach County and Miami-Dade County.
Rodriguez testified he was always a Republican but he was allegedly asked by Artiles to change his party affiliation.
He received more than 6,000 votes as an independent candidate.
The incumbent, Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez, who has the same last name as the so-called "ghost candidate," lost the election by 32 votes in a recount.
Rodriguez was arrested in March 2021 for campaign violations.
In his plea deal, Rodríguez has agreed to cooperate for the prosecution and testify against Artiles. In return, he will serve one year of house arrest and three years of probation.