Mansfield, LA: DeSoto School Board member faces drug and voter fraud charges

MANSFIELD — A DeSoto Parish School Board member already facing federal drug charges was arrested Tuesday for voter registration fraud.

Sheriff’s deputies booked Douglas “Barthlomew” Claiborne, 30, of Mansfield, into the DeSoto Parish Detention Center on a warrant issued by the 10th Judicial District in Natchitoches Parish.

The arrest warrant was based on a complaint by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Election and Compliance Unit. It accuses Claiborne of “procuring falsified voter registration applications.”

Claiborne was heavily involved in the election of first-term state Rep. Kenny Cox, of Mansfield, who is serving in a newly drawn minority district that includes Mansfield and Natchitoches Parish.

Claiborne acted as a coordinator of DeSoto Parish activities for Cox’s election bid last fall but often was in Natchitoches Parish working on Cox’s behalf.

It was not clear whether Claiborne remained jailed.

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