Florida prosecutors have charged 20 people in a statewide election-fraud operation, including 16 noncitizens accused of registering as U.S. citizens and casting ballots and four convicted felons accused of voting while still serving probation.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Florida authorities have charged 20 people with election-related felonies in a statewide enforcement operation that officials say uncovered noncitizens and convicted felons who cast ballots despite being ineligible to vote.
Attorney General James Uthmeier and Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the cases Thursday, saying 16 defendants are foreign nationals accused of falsely affirming U.S. citizenship before registering and voting, while four are convicted felons accused of registering and casting ballots while their probation terms remained active. The cases include voting in Florida’s 2024 general election.
The defendants have been charged, not convicted, and the allegations remain subject to adjudication in court.
Investigators relied on voter-registration records, poll-book signatures, vote-by-mail documentation and federal immigration information while developing the cases. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services assisted Florida authorities in verifying the citizenship status of registered voters, according to FOX 13 Orlando.
Uthmeier also announced the operation publicly:
Today, I joined Governor DeSantis to announce the arrests and prosecutions of 20 ineligible voters, including 16 non-citizens, which brings us to over 100 election fraud prosecutions since Florida stood up the Office of Election Crimes. Florida will protect our elections and not allow anyone to steal the vote of Americans at the ballot box. Those who vote illegally will be held accountable.
Florida created its Office of Election Crimes and Security after DeSantis signed Senate Bill 524 in April 2022. The law established a dedicated office within the Department of State to investigate suspected election-law violations and provided additional resources to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for election-crime investigations.
State officials said Florida has brought more than 100 voter-fraud prosecutions since the office was created, with more than half initiated since Uthmeier became attorney general.
“Florida will not allow anyone to steal the vote of Americans at the ballot box,” Uthmeier said. “These defendants swore they were qualified electors, cast ballots in our elections, and later confirmed they were never eligible to vote.”
The Attorney General’s Office published details of the statewide cases in its official announcement.
Several of the noncitizen cases involve lawful permanent residents who prosecutors allege certified that they were U.S. citizens when registering to vote.
Astrid Shamatu Navarrete Quintana, 24, of Fort Myers, is a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident since March 2023. Prosecutors allege she registered Aug. 19, 2024, affirmed that she was a U.S. citizen and voted in person in the Nov. 5 general election. Authorities say she later signed a Citizenship Acknowledgement Form stating that she was not a U.S. citizen. She faces charges of willfully voting as an unqualified noncitizen elector and false swearing.
Selvin Uton Whilby, 74, of Tampa, is a Jamaican national and lawful permanent resident since 1989. State prosecutors say he registered in 2008 after affirming citizenship and voted by mail in both the 2024 primary and general elections. Authorities say his vote-by-mail history extends to 2008 and that he later signed a form acknowledging that he is not a U.S. citizen.
Cyntia Vanessa Canales, 62, of Ocala, is a Chilean national and lawful permanent resident. Prosecutors allege she registered in Marion County in 2012 and again in 2022 while identifying herself as a U.S. citizen and listing Florida as her birthplace. Authorities say she voted early in person Oct. 27, 2024.
Craig William Smith, 69, also of Ocala, is a Bahamian national and lawful permanent resident since 1978. Authorities allege he registered in 2002, affirmed that he was a citizen and subsequently developed a voting history dating to 2006, including participation in both the 2024 primary and general elections. Prosecutors say he later signed a form acknowledging that he is not a U.S. citizen.
Kadian Gabrielle Amai Johnson, 29, of Lehigh Acres, is a Jamaican national and lawful permanent resident since 2018. State authorities say she registered Sept. 30, 2024, after affirming citizenship and voted in person Nov. 5. Prosecutors say Johnson later signed an acknowledgment stating she was not a citizen.
James Mark Hollingsworth, 62, of Lake Suzy, is a Canadian national and lawful permanent resident since 1967. Prosecutors allege he registered through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in 2021 and voted by mail in both the 2024 primary and general elections.
After receiving notice concerning his citizenship status, Hollingsworth emailed his county supervisor of elections acknowledging that he was a permanent resident and stating that he had been voting in Florida, according to the charging information. He faces four felony counts — two alleging voting as an unqualified noncitizen elector and two alleging false swearing.
Giorgio Dominique Mucelli, 66, of Melbourne, is a Canadian citizen and lawful permanent resident accused of participating in seven general elections between 2004 and 2024.
Florida authorities allege Mucelli registered in 2004 after claiming U.S. citizenship and cast ballots in the 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2020, 2022 and 2024 general elections. He faces charges of voting as a noncitizen elector and false affirmation.
The group also includes defendants who are U.S. citizens but allegedly remained legally ineligible to vote because they had not completed felony sentences.
Donta Ta White, 44, of Tampa, is accused of registering and voting while serving a 10-year probation term scheduled to continue through 2032. Prosecutors allege White had previously signed a Florida Department of Corrections document advising him that registering or voting before completing his sentence would be unlawful, but later submitted two voter-registration applications in October 2024 claiming that his voting rights had been restored and subsequently voted early in person.
The remaining defendants include foreign nationals from the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Mexico and Canada, according to the state’s charging package. The cases stretch across Brevard, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Hillsborough, Lee, Marion, Okeechobee and Polk counties.
Each charged offense is classified as a third-degree felony. Most defendants face a potential maximum of 10 years in state prison if convicted as charged, while Hollingsworth faces up to 20 years and White faces up to 15 years because of the number of counts filed against them.
Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay said the cases demonstrate that the state intends to pursue criminal violations of election law.
“Florida’s elections laws are not mere suggestions.”
DeSantis also pointed to the prosecutions as part of his administration’s broader election-enforcement effort.
“We have prioritized election integrity in Florida, and we have zero tolerance for voter fraud.”
At the same event, DeSantis announced a new Association of State and Local Election Officials and said Secretary of State Cord Byrd would help lead an effort to share Florida election-administration practices with officials in other states.
The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation remains active and that additional arrests and charges are possible.
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