Federal prosecutors charged four noncitizens, including two illegal immigrants and two lawful permanent residents, with unlawfully voting or attempting to register in Pennsylvania elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Federal prosecutors have charged four noncitizens in Pennsylvania with illegally voting or attempting to participate in U.S. elections, including two people who are in the country illegally and two lawful permanent residents.
The Department of Justice announced the cases Sept. 24 after investigations conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, with each violation carrying a potential sentence of up to one year in prison.
The defendants include Dilea Ochoa-Perez, 43, a Mexican national who prosecutors said is living illegally in the United States.
Authorities allege Ochoa-Perez voted in both the 2022 and 2024 federal general elections.
If convicted, she faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of as much as $200,000.
Cliff Sanon, 39, a Haitian national who is also allegedly in the country illegally, faces a broader series of accusations involving both voting and voter registration.
Federal prosecutors said Sanon voted illegally in the November 2022 election.
He is also accused of submitting an application to register to vote in February 2026 ahead of Pennsylvania’s May primary election.
Authorities further allege that Sanon filed seven additional fraudulent voter registration applications.
If convicted, Sanon faces up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The other two defendants are lawful permanent residents who prosecutors said voted despite not being U.S. citizens.
Sade Guppy, 37, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, allegedly cast a ballot in the 2022 general election.
Prosecutors said Guppy was legally residing in the United States as a permanent resident but remained ineligible to vote because she had not become a U.S. citizen.
She faces up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000 if convicted.
Eduardo Gallardo Maldonado, 66, a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident, is accused of voting illegally in the November 2024 general election.
If convicted, Maldonado faces the same maximum penalties of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.
It was not immediately clear whether any of the four defendants had retained attorneys.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania David Metcalf said federal authorities intend to prosecute noncitizens who unlawfully participate in American elections.
“Our sovereignty as a nation belongs to the American people and no one else,” Metcalf said in a statement. “Anyone, including illegal aliens, who votes illegally in our elections will be prosecuted for corrupting our democracy.”
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigations that led to the federal charges, according to the Justice Department.
Nathan Abel, special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia, said enforcement against illegal voting is necessary to protect confidence in elections.
“Voting by noncitizens is illegal and has real consequences for the American public,” Abel said in a statement. “Every unlawful ballot can undermine confidence in the election process and diminish the voices of American citizens. HSI Philadelphia remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate election-related fraud and help protect the integrity of U.S. elections.”
The four cases involve different immigration statuses and alleged conduct, ranging from individual illegal votes to repeated voter-registration applications.
All four defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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