Federal Prosecutors Charge Six More Los Angeles Residents With Illegal Voting
The six defendants, all lawful permanent residents, face up to five years in prison if convicted of false statements on citizenship applications.
By Kendra Wilson ·
Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against six Los Angeles County residents on Monday.
The six defendants are lawful permanent residents who allegedly registered to vote and cast ballots in California elections while claiming U.S. citizenship. They are accused of later denying those actions on their naturalization applications. All six live in the Antelope or San Fernando valleys.
The new charges bring the total number of defendants in the federal investigation to 34. The Justice Department identifies the probe as Operation Protect the Vote. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that his office is charging the individuals for unlawfully registering and voting. He noted that all 34 defendants in the case appear on a list of suspected noncitizens provided to California officials.
The newly accused include a 43-year-old Philippine citizen from Palmdale, a 31-year-old Mexican national from Palmdale, a 35-year-old Israeli national from West Hills, a 52-year-old Canadian citizen from Agua Dulce, a 35-year-old Iranian national from Canoga Park, and a 46-year-old Mexican citizen from Palmdale. Five of the six were arrested and are scheduled for initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Prosecutors did not set an initial court date for the sixth defendant.
Essayli claimed that thousands of suspected noncitizens remain on California voter rolls. He urged state officials to cooperate with federal authorities to verify eligibility. The Justice Department announcement did not include specific data on the number of noncitizens currently registered statewide. Federal law generally bars noncitizens, including green card holders, from voting in federal elections.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if convicted of making false statements on their naturalization applications. The charges stem from the discrepancy between their claimed citizenship during voter registration and their denial of that citizenship in naturalization filings.
Source: KNBC
