RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas (AP) - A county commissioner has pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts in a Texas voter fraud investigation.

Starr County Commissioner Raul "Roy" Pena Jr. must serve six months of probation and pay a $500 fine.

The Monitor of McAllen reported Thursday that Pena pleaded no contest to illegally returning a marked ballot and to improperly mailing another voter's ballot.

Pena, who wasn't up for re-election during the March primary, on Feb. 26 drew scrutiny when he arrived at a Rio Grande City post office with 56 mail-in ballots.

Texas law requires anyone who provides assistance to a voter to sign the outside of the ballot's envelope.

Pena did not immediately comment. Pena attorney Rene Montalvo said he was not authorized to speak on the commissioner's behalf.

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Information from: The Monitor, http://www.themonitor.com

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)