MIAMI – Former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami-Dade, received a 60-day jail sentence Monday after being found guilty of three of four counts against him in his “ghost candidate” criminal case in September.
He’ll also spend the next five years on probation and received withheld adjudication. The judge also ordered Artiles to have no involvement in politics.
On Sept. 30, jurors found Artiles guilty of making campaign contributions in excess of $1,000, conspiring to make campaign contributions over $1,000 and procuring the falsification of a candidate oath form. They found him not guilty of procuring the falsification of a voter registration form.
Prosecutors accused Artiles of spearheading a scheme made to confuse Florida Senate District 37 voters with a no-party “ghost candidate,” named Alex Rodríguez, running against then-Democratic incumbent, Florida Sen. Jose Javier Rodríguez and Republican candidate Ileana García.
Rodríguez ran in the election in exchange for $50,000. He testified that he was offered $25,000 before the election and another $25,000 to be paid later.
In handing out Artiles’ sentence Monday, Miami-Dade Judge Miguel de la O said he was swayed by the former elected official’s service to others. Artiles got dozens of letters describing specific examples of his support and charity.
Artiles’ wife, Amy, had asked the judge to consider “the emotional toll on our daughters, who would lose their father during a pivotal time in their lives.”
“I think our tribal politics got the better of you, Mr. Artiles, and you lost sight of right or wrong,” De la O said.
As Artiles headed for the exit Monday, his attorneys blamed loose campaign finance laws and uninformed voters.
When asked by Local 10 News reporter Glenna Milberg if Artiles feels like he’s done something wrong, his attorney, Frank Quintero, responded, “I’m not going to get into how he feels or doesn’t feel.”
The sentence is stayed until a Dec. 18 status hearing for appeal.