Wilmington, NC – Federal prosecutors have charged 19 foreign nationals and one U.S. citizen following an investigation into unlawful voting in the 2016 elections.
The indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Wilmington, stem from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the newly formed Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Nine foreign nationals — from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, the Philippines, Panama, Grenada, Guyana, and Japan — were charged with falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote and unlawfully voting. If convicted, they face up to six years in prison, a $350,000 fine, and supervised release.
Another eight foreign nationals — from El Salvador, Mexico, Italy, Haiti, Korea, Germany, and Poland — were charged solely with voting by an alien, carrying a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
In a separate case, Diana Patricia Franco-Rodriguez, 26, of Mexico, faces charges of fraud, misuse of visas, and unlawful voting, with potential penalties of up to 26 years in prison.
Additionally, Denslo Allen Paige, 66, a U.S. citizen, is charged with aiding and abetting one defendant in falsely claiming citizenship to register to vote, carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
All defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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Key Points
- Nineteen foreign nationals charged in North Carolina with unlawful voting-related offenses
- Charges include falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, fraud, and misuse of visas
- One U.S. citizen charged with aiding and abetting in false voter registration