The Justice Department unveiled a coordinated effort to enforce federal election laws, charging 16 people across seven states with illegal voting, false citizenship claims, and related offenses. Eight of those defendants are tied to Texas, highlighting the state’s role in safeguarding the integrity of the 2024 general election.
Texas defendants
Seven of the Texas cases were filed in the Northern District of Texas, with a ninth defendant arrested in Del Rio, bringing the total to eight. Six of the accused are lawful permanent residents, and one, Moises Anwar Arellano-Alba, is identified as an illegal immigrant from Mexico who received a final removal order in July.
Prosecutors allege that six defendants directly participated in voting or falsified citizenship claims during the 2024 election. In Tarrant County, Carlos Salas Barrios and Celestin Katubadi allegedly submitted provisional ballots that were ultimately rejected, but federal law still prohibited them from casting those ballots.
Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom faces a false‑statements charge related to his 2026 naturalization application. Authorities say Akpom denied any claim of U.S. citizenship, registration to vote, or actual voting, despite records showing he registered in 2017 and voted in 2018. Prosecutors relied on the naturalization allegation because the five‑year statute of limitations barred a charge for the 2018 vote.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould emphasized the seriousness of the conduct: “When individuals who are not citizens cast ballots or falsely claim citizenship, they violate federal law.”
Del Rio case
Federal agents arrested 46‑year‑old Monica Ivette Carzoli Carillo, a Mexican national who became a lawful permanent resident on Dec. 5, 2023. Prosecutors say she cast an early ballot at the Del Rio Civic Center on Oct. 26, 2024, after allegedly registering and voting in the 2024 election. A sworn statement obtained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Nov. 19, 2025, reportedly confirms her admission. Carillo faces up to five years in prison if convicted of voting as an alien and making false citizenship statements.
Other states
The remaining eight defendants reside in Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Michigan. Georgia prosecutors allege that Analiea Milliscent Eccles, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with DACA status, voted nine times between 2008 and 2024. Gabriel Covarrubias is accused of voting under a false name in 2024 and providing false information on a passport application. Pauline Lewis also faces an unlawful‑voting complaint.
In Idaho, a defendant identified as Avila Gomez is charged with election offenses alongside alleged wire fraud, theft of government funds, passport fraud, identification‑document fraud and firearm violations. The other defendants are Gladys Adaeze Okafor (Massachusetts), Julieta Englestad (Wisconsin), Santana Coulibaly (New Jersey) and Victoria Viktorivna Aquilina (Michigan).
Legal context
All complaints, indictments and criminal informations contain allegations, and the law presumes innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Justice Department’s action underscores the administration’s commitment to protecting the sanctity of federal elections and enforcing immigration laws that prevent non‑citizens from influencing the democratic process.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
