US Justice Officials Unveil Multiple Election Crime Cases
The United States Department of Justice has announced election-related criminal charges involving 16 individuals in several parts of the country, bringing renewed attention to federal efforts to investigate alleged violations of voting laws. The cases involve accusations of illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, false claims of American citizenship, voting more than once in an election and other offenses connected to election administration. The announcement, made on October 12, 2026, covers separate investigations handled by federal prosecutors in multiple judicial districts. Although the cases share a connection to election integrity, the allegations differ considerably in their circumstances, the number of votes involved and the legal provisions under which defendants have been charged.
Several of the cases concern allegations that non-US citizens voted in federal elections despite not being legally eligible to do so. Under federal law, voting in elections for president, members of Congress and other federal offices generally requires American citizenship, subject to applicable statutory requirements. The charges involve individuals with different immigration backgrounds, including lawful permanent residents and people alleged to have remained in the country without lawful immigration status. Authorities contend that some defendants registered to vote or cast ballots while knowing they were not citizens. However, the existence of a criminal charge does not establish that the allegations are true, and each defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process.
In Pennsylvania, four individuals were charged with allegedly voting in the 2024 election despite not being American citizens. They include Hacina Saadi, a French national described by authorities as being unlawfully present in the United States, as well as Pakistani nationals Jamil Ahmad and Nighat Jamil and Portuguese national Paulo Silva, all identified as lawful permanent residents. The charges relate to alleged voting during the 2024 election. These cases highlight the distinction between permanent residency and citizenship under federal election law. A person may have permission to live and work in the United States without acquiring the legal right to vote in federal elections.
Alabama authorities reported two additional cases involving alleged illegal voting by noncitizens. Silvia Delgado Phelps, a Peruvian national and lawful permanent resident, was accused of voting in multiple elections in Baldwin County despite not being a US citizen. Staciann Pollion Davis, a Jamaican national and lawful permanent resident, was accused of voting in the November 2024 general election in Clarke County. Both cases were brought through criminal complaints. The allegations will need to be evaluated through the judicial process, including consideration of the evidence, the defendants’ circumstances and whether the prosecution can establish the elements of the charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt.
Another case involves Forrest Scott Woody, a North Carolina resident accused of voting twice in the 2024 general election. According to the indictment, Woody allegedly cast a ballot in Henderson County, North Carolina, and then voted again in Calhoun County, Alabama. The case illustrates a different category of alleged election offense from the noncitizen voting cases. Rather than focusing on citizenship eligibility, the accusation concerns whether an individual unlawfully participated more than once in the same election. Prosecutors will need to establish the relevant voting activity and demonstrate that the conduct meets the legal requirements for the offense charged.
In Missouri, Cuban national Andre’s Garcia was charged with two counts of illegally voting in federal elections, relating to the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. Authorities allege that Garcia knew he was not an American citizen but nevertheless claimed citizenship when registering to vote in 2004 and again in 2013. The allegations further state that he voted regularly over approximately two decades, participating in at least 15 elections, including at least 13 federal elections. If established in court, the alleged duration of the conduct could become relevant to the prosecution’s case. Nevertheless, the accusations remain subject to the evidentiary requirements and procedural protections of a criminal trial.
Additional cases were announced in Idaho, New Jersey, Ohio and Hawaii. In Idaho, Canadian national Stanley Walton, a lawful permanent resident, was accused of unlawfully voting in the 2022 general election. In New Jersey, Lizabeth Almonte Rosa, a naturalized American citizen originally from the Dominican Republic, faced charges involving alleged voting by a noncitizen and the unlawful procurement of citizenship. Prosecutors stated that she was not a citizen when she registered to vote. The case raises questions about the relationship between information provided during voter registration and statements made during immigration or naturalization proceedings. The legal significance of those allegations will depend on the evidence and the specific elements of the offenses.
In Ohio, British national Cary Ann Patterson was accused of voting illegally in a federal election in November 2024. Court documents reportedly indicated that election officials had received a registration card in 2005 on which she had marked herself as a US citizen. Investigators also alleged that she voted in at least 10 elections while not being a citizen. Separate cases in northern Ohio involved Pakistani national Arshed Zuberi and Filipino national Eliza M. Moss, both lawful permanent residents accused of unlawfully voting in federal elections. In Moss’s case, investigators reported that she said the person who helped complete her registration had told her that she was permitted to vote despite not being a citizen. That account could be relevant to questions of knowledge and intent, which may be important to the legal proceedings.
In Hawaii, Polish national Dawid Nalepa was charged with allegedly voting as a noncitizen in the November 2024 general election. Authorities said he entered the country through the Visa Waiver Program around 2020, overstayed his permitted period and later applied for permanent resident status. Prosecutors allege that he was not a citizen when he voted and understood that he was ineligible. In Kentucky, Canadian national Sandra Madeline Watson, also a lawful permanent resident, was charged with allegedly voting in a federal election while knowing she was not an American citizen. These cases demonstrate that federal election investigations can involve individuals with different immigration histories, but the decisive legal questions concern eligibility, conduct and the evidence supporting each charge.
The announcement also included a case in New Mexico involving Patrick Perea, who was indicted on a charge of fraudulent voting. Prosecutors allege that he attempted to submit his deceased wife’s absentee ballot in the November 2024 general election through the election office in Bernalillo County. Unlike the cases involving noncitizens, this allegation concerns the attempted use of a ballot belonging to a deceased voter. The distinction is important because election offenses can involve different forms of conduct, including registration fraud, duplicate voting, voting by ineligible individuals and attempted ballot misuse. Each offense requires prosecutors to establish its own legal elements, and the details of one case should not be treated as evidence against defendants in unrelated proceedings.
The federal announcement underscores the government’s stated commitment to investigating alleged violations of election law across multiple jurisdictions. It also highlights the importance of protecting election administration while ensuring that criminal accusations are handled fairly and consistently. The announcement itself does not establish that all 16 individuals committed the offenses alleged against them, nor does it demonstrate that the reported conduct affected the outcome of any election. Complaints, indictments and charging documents represent allegations that must be tested through the legal process. The cases will proceed according to their individual circumstances, and the eventual outcomes will depend on the evidence, applicable law and decisions made by the courts. Until guilt is established, every defendant remains presumed innocent.
Key legal outcomes
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Charges announced against 16 individuals: Federal authorities disclosed separate election-related cases involving alleged voting violations, fraudulent registration and related offenses.
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Alleged noncitizen voting: Multiple defendants face charges involving voting in federal elections while allegedly lacking US citizenship.
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Duplicate voting allegation: A North Carolina resident was indicted over an alleged attempt to vote in two states during the same 2024 general election.
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Fraudulent ballot allegation: A New Mexico defendant was indicted over an alleged attempt to submit a deceased spouse’s absentee ballot.
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No automatic finding of guilt: The charges remain allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why it matters
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Election integrity: The cases highlight federal enforcement efforts concerning voter eligibility, registration accuracy and ballot handling.
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Citizenship requirements: The allegations illustrate the legal distinction between lawful permanent residency and citizenship for federal voting purposes.
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Public confidence: Transparent investigations and fair judicial proceedings can help maintain trust in election administration.
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Due process protections: The cases underscore the importance of distinguishing criminal accusations from proven violations.
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Election law enforcement: The proceedings may clarify how federal authorities apply existing laws to alleged duplicate voting, registration fraud and voting by ineligible individuals.
