Justice Department Announces Election-Related Charges Against 48 Noncitizens Across Five States

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Oct. 26 that 48 noncitizens face charges involving illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration and related election offenses in Pennsylvania, California, Florida, New York and Nevada.

The allegations include voting in federal elections, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register or vote, and making false statements about voting history during the naturalization process. Several defendants allegedly participated in multiple elections.

Of the 48 defendants listed in the announcement, 47 were identified as lawful permanent residents. One Pennsylvania defendant was described by the department as being in the country illegally.

The announcement describes separate cases across 10 federal judicial districts. It does not allege a coordinated operation or identify which candidates received the defendants’ votes.

California accounts for the largest number of defendants, with 28 charged across four federal districts. Pennsylvania accounts for nine defendants, followed by Florida with six, New York with four and Nevada with one.

In California’s Central District, 13 defendants face felony charges, including allegations involving false statements in naturalization applications. Prosecutors allege that several defendants registered or voted before denying in citizenship paperwork that they had claimed U.S. citizenship.

Among them is Omar Alexander Muñoz, 72, a Belizean national and lawful permanent resident. Prosecutors allege he registered to vote in September 2019 by claiming citizenship, then voted in 2020, twice in 2022 and again in 2024. He also allegedly denied under oath in his naturalization application that he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen.

Six defendants in California’s Eastern District face charges of voting as noncitizens in federal elections. According to the department, that misdemeanor offense carries a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison.

One defendant, Camino Giles Jiménez, 51, a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident, allegedly voted in three U.S. elections, most recently the June 2026 primary.

Five additional defendants face charges in California’s Northern District involving voting and alleged naturalization violations. Four in the Southern District face charges involving false citizenship claims or statements during the naturalization process.

In Pennsylvania, prosecutors announced charges against four defendants in the Eastern District and five in the Middle District. The allegations concern voting in the 2022 or 2024 elections.

Alfredo Santiesteban, 73, a Cuban national whom the department described as being in the country illegally, allegedly voted in the 2024 general election. Artur Kopacz, 50, a Polish national and lawful permanent resident, allegedly voted in both the 2022 and 2024 general elections.

In Florida’s Middle District, six lawful permanent residents face charges involving illegal voting, with three also accused of falsely claiming citizenship to vote. Several allegedly voted in both the 2022 and 2024 federal general elections.

Three defendants in New York’s Eastern District allegedly submitted fraudulent voter registration applications and voted in the 2024 federal general election. A fourth defendant, charged in the Northern District, allegedly voted in an election that included congressional races.

The Nevada case involves Jullie Ann Sumalinog Moore, 44, a Filipino national and lawful permanent resident, who allegedly voted in an election that included presidential and congressional contests.

The Justice Department’s announcement does not establish how many ballots were counted or whether any alleged conduct affected an election outcome.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.