Miami, Florida (March 18, 2021) – State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, acting City of Miami Police Chief Ron Papier, and members of the State Attorney’s Office Public Corruption Task Force held a joint press conference at the Office of the State Attorney to announce filing of criminal charges as the result of the investigation into November’s Florida Senate District 37election.
“November’s Florida Senat e District 37 election involved a crime, which is what brings all of us together today and has led to the criminal charging of former Florida State Representative & former Florida State Senator Frank Artiles and ‘ghost candidate’ Alexis Pedro Rodriguez,” said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
“In charging both Frank Artiles and Alexis Pedro Rodriguez today, we are alleging that these various payments blatantly violated Florida election laws. Frank Artiles had formerly been elected to the Florida House and the Florida Senate. He knew then and we are alleging that he knows now, that he was blatantly thumbing his nose at the law. His outlined actions seem to say that those laws were meant for others, for the little people; not for Frank Artiles. But let there be no mistake about it – these charges today say the law applies to everyone.”