18 charged by Justice Department with illegally voting in 2024 election

NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) –The Department of Justice announced that 18 people in North Carolina have been indicted for illegally voting.

Nine were charged in the Eastern District of North Carolina, five were charged in the Middle District of North Carolina, and four were charged in the Western District of North Carolina.

These indictments are in addition to 12 individuals who were previously indicted in the Eastern District of North Carolina for illegally voting, bringing the statewide total to 30 indicted this year.

According to the DOJ, a grand jury returned indictments against the following individuals:

Eastern District of North Carolina:

• Selvin Porfidio Gonzalez Escobar of Guatemala, living in Robeson County, is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • He registered to vote in 2020 and voted in the 2024 and 2020 general elections.
• Amerigo Di Nolfi of Italy, citizen of the United Kingdom, is a lawful permanent resident of the United States now residing in Hampden County, Massachusetts.
  • He are charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • He registered to vote in 2024 and voted in the 2024 general election in New Hanover County.
• Elizabeth Margaret Crudup of Kenya is a lawful permanent resident residing in Harnett County.
  • They are charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • She registered to vote in 2008 and voted in nine general elections in 2024, 2022, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2010, and 2008, as well as nine Primary Elections in 2026, 2024, 2022, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2010, and 2008.
• Gregory Eugene Wade of Bermuda is a lawful permanent resident residing in Wake County.
  • He is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • He registered to vote in 2000 and voted in 12 general elections in 2024, 2022, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2004, 2002, and 2000, as well as the 2020 and 2002 primary elections.
• Jacqueline Yvonne Papandreou Brown of Singapore is a citizen of the United Kingdom, and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Duplin County.
  • She is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • She registered to vote in 2020 and voted in the 2024 general election.
• Karl Anthony Wilkins of Jamaica is a lawful permanent resident now residing in Fulton County, Georgia.
  • He is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • He registered to vote in 2018 and voted in the 2024, 2022, and 2020 General Elections, as well as the 2020 primary election in Wake County.
• Patricia Elena Valencia Cardona of Colombia is a lawful permanent resident residing in Harnett County.
  • She is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • She registered to vote in 2024 and voted in the 2024 general election.
• Richard John Reid of the United Kingdom is a lawful permanent resident residing in New Hanover County.
  • He is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • He registered to vote in 2002 and voted in four general elections in 2024, 2020, 2012, and 2008 general elections, as well as the 2012 and 2008 primary elections.
• Taso Gretes of Greece is a citizen of Canada, and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in New Hanover County.
  • He is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
  • He registered to vote in 2022 and voted in the 2024 general election.

Middle District of North Carolina:

• Adrianus Marinus Van Der Staak of the Netherlands is a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Seagrove.
  • He is charged by indictment with one count of knowingly making a false statement or claim of U.S. citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
• Saida Adali Hirachete Olivarez of Mexico is a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Reidsville.
  • She is charged by indictment with one count of knowingly making a false statement or claim of U.S. citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
• Juan Florencio Ramos of Cuba is a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Salisbury.
  • He is charged by indictment with one count of knowingly making a false statement or claim of U.S. citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
• Phillip Alexander Carter of Barbados is a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Winston-Salem.
  • He is charged by indictment with one count of knowingly making a false statement or claim of U.S. citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
• Yamila Avalos of Argentinian is a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Concord, North Carolina.
  • They are charged by information with one count of voting by an alien.

Western District of North Carolina:

• Michael Agah of Nigerian is a lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Charlotte.
  • He is charged with voting by an alien and making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote.
  • The indictment alleges that Agah falsely stated and claimed that he was a U.S. citizen on an Authorization to Vote Form.
  • Then on Nov. 5, 2024, Agah voted in a federal election.
• Luis Alberto DeJesus of the Dominican Republic is a lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Conover.
  • He is charged with voting by an alien in a federal election and making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote.
  • It is alleged that DeJesus falsely stated on an Early Voting Application that he was a U.S. citizen and thereafter voted on Oct. 30, 2024, knowing that he was not a U.S. citizen and was not legally permitted to cast a ballot.
• Serge Christian Dupont of France is a lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Charlotte.
  • He is charged with voting by an alien and making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote.
  • It is alleged that on Nov. 5, 2024, Dupont made a false statement and claimed that he was a citizen of the United States on an Authorization to Vote Form. Dupont then did vote on the same day in a federal election.
• A fourth individual has been charged by a criminal bill of information.
  • Edread Ray Stanley of St. Kitts and Nevis is a lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Charlotte.
  • They are charged with voting by an alien.
  • It is alleged that Stanley, knowing that he was not a U.S. citizen, knowingly voted on Nov. 5, 2024, in a federal election.

The above cases remain under investigation by the FBI and HSI.

The charges of falsely stating or claiming U.S. citizenship to vote carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Voting by an alien carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.