Canadian citizen sentenced for illegally voting in North Carolina elections
RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — A Canadian citizen has been sentenced to two months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making false claims of US citizenship in connection with voting in North Carolina elections, federal prosecutors announced.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, 70-year-old Denis Bouchard falsely claimed to be a US citizen on voter registration applications and ballots. Records show Bouchard voted in New Hanover and Pender County elections.
Prosecutors said Bouchard has lived in the United States since the 1960s but never obtained US citizenship. Court records cited by federal authorities indicate he voted in nine federal elections between 2004 and 2024.
Federal officials said Bouchard unlawfully cast ballots in the 2022 election and registered to vote for the 2024 presidential election while falsely certifying that he was a US citizen.
Bouchard pleaded guilty to two counts of making false claims of citizenship in connection with voter registration and voting.
US District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Bouchard to two months in federal prison. In addition to the prison term, Bouchard was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and may face immigration-related consequences.
In a statement, US Attorney W. Ellis Boyle said the sentence serves as a warning about the consequences of providing false information to participate in elections.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the North Carolina State Board of Elections and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant US Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case.
