Arizona woman seeks leniency in ballot harvesting case

By BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — A parade of character witnesses provided a judge with glowing reports about a southern Arizona woman who admitted collecting four voted early ballots in the 2020 primary election as her lawyer seeks leniency. But the assistant attorney general prosecuting the case told Yuma County Superior Court Judge Roger Nelson Thursday that a year in prison is needed to ensure election integrity. Testimony painted a picture of 66-year-old Guillermina Fuentes as filled with remorse and a pillar of small border community of San Luis. Defense witnesses said prison or jail time would hurt the community and serve no purpose. Fuentes pleaded guilty to a felony. A second woman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for carrying the ballots into a voting locations and dropping them off.