Belizean national among 28 charged in California election fraud cases
Key Points(5)
- A 72-year-old Belizean national is among 28 foreign nationals charged with federal election-related crimes in California, including allegations of illegally registering to vote and casting ballots in U.S.
- Department of Justice announced Monday that Omar Alexander Muñoz, who lives in Commerce, California, was among those charged in an investigation spanning four federal judicial districts in the state.
- According to court documents cited by the department, Muñoz allegedly registered to vote in September 2019 while falsely claiming to be a U.S.
- He is accused of voting in U.S.
- elections in 2020, twice in 2022 and again in 2024.
A 72-year-old Belizean national is among 28 foreign nationals charged with federal election-related crimes in California, including allegations of illegally registering to vote and casting ballots in U.S. elections.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday that Omar Alexander Muñoz, who lives in Commerce, California, was among those charged in an investigation spanning four federal judicial districts in the state.
According to court documents cited by the department, Muñoz allegedly registered to vote in September 2019 while falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. He is accused of voting in U.S. elections in 2020, twice in 2022 and again in 2024.
Prosecutors also allege that Muñoz made false statements under oath in an application for U.S. citizenship, claiming he had never previously represented himself as an American citizen.
Muñoz faces felony charges, including making false statements in a naturalization application. The Justice Department said the charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
Federal authorities arrested 11 of the 28 defendants on Monday as part of “Operation Protect the Vote,” a coordinated effort involving all four U.S. attorney’s offices in California to investigate alleged election fraud.
All 28 defendants are lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders. Although they are legally permitted to live in the United States, permanent residents who are not U.S. citizens generally cannot vote in federal elections.
The cases involve allegations of fraudulent voter registration, illegal voting by noncitizens and false statements made during the naturalization process. The charges vary by defendant and jurisdiction.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said the defendants were among more than 20,000 people the federal government identified as likely noncitizen registrants and whose names were provided to California election officials.
The Justice Department said the federal government asked California on Oct. 13 to set aside the individuals’ mail-in ballots until their citizenship status could be confirmed. California declined to assist, prompting the federal government to file a lawsuit seeking a court order to prevent ballots cast unlawfully from being counted.
The allegations against the defendants have not been proven in court. Those charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The defendants arrested Monday were expected to make their initial appearances in federal court later that day. No pleas were scheduled to be taken at those appearances, according to the Justice Department.
