Carlos Jose Abreu, a 45-year-old Dominican Republic national living illegally in Broward County appeared in federal court on February 3 to face multiple charges, including voter fraud and unlawful firearm possession.
Abreu is accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote and cast a ballot in the November 2022 federal midterm elections. Additionally, authorities allege that he illegally possessed a firearm, a federal crime for undocumented immigrants. If convicted, Abreu faces up to 15 years in prison and potential deportation.
This latest indictment follows a prior case in which Abreu was charged with passport application fraud and aggravated identity theft. On January 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty to the passport fraud allegations.
Court records reveal that Abreu entered the U.S. illegally approximately 20 years ago and has resided unlawfully in the country ever since. In 2007, New Jersey authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, endangering a child, and criminal restraint. To evade law enforcement, Abreu relocated to Florida, where he assumed the identity of an American citizen. Using this stolen identity, he obtained a Florida driver’s license and applied for a U.S. passport, maintaining this false identity for 18 years.
Federal prosecutors allege that Abreu fraudulently registered to vote in September 2020 and illegally voted in the 2022 elections under the stolen identity.
U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office announced the charges. The DSS Miami Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brianna Coakley is prosecuting the case.
If found guilty on the voter fraud and gun possession charges, Abreu faces a lengthy prison sentence and deportation following his incarceration. Federal authorities continue to crack down on identity fraud and illegal voting practices as part of broader efforts to safeguard election integrity and national security.
