WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) - Federal authorities announced Friday that 19 illegal immigrants in North Carolina illegally voted during the 2016 election.
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina says several of those charged voted in more than one election.
The indictments were made by a federal grand jury in Wilmington and included illegal voting in Wake, Johnston, Cumberland and Wilson counties.
Ramon Esteban Paez-Jerez, 58, of the Dominican Republic, voted illegally in Wake County on Nov. 8, 2016, officials say. He was also charged with two counts of passport fraud, the news release said.
They are facing charges of False Claim of United States Citizenship in Order to Register to Vote and Voting by an Alien.
Jose Cruz Solano-Rodriguez, 41, of Mexico
Guadalupe Espinosa-Pena, 63, of Mexico
Sarah Emilia Silverio-Polanco, 35, of the Dominican Republic
Elizabeth Nene Amachaghi, 44, of Nigeria
Maria Rufina Castillo-Boswell, 31, of Philippines
Dora Maybe Damatta-Rodriguez, 64, of Panama
Elvis David Fullerton, 54, of Grenada
Olive Agatha Martin, 71, of Guyana
Kaoru Sauls, 54, of Japan
The following were charged with voting by an alien, officials said:
Jose Jaime Ramiro-Torres, 52, of El Salvador
Juan Francisco Landeros-Mireles, 64, of Mexico
Alessandro Cannizzaro, 46, of Italy
Dieudonne Soifils, 71, of Haiti
Hyo Suk George, 69, of Korea
Merius Jean, 54, of Haiti
Rosemarie Angelika Harris, 60, of Germany
Daniel Tadeusz Romanowski, 39, of Poland
Diana Patricia Franco-Rodriguez, 26, of Mexico, was indicted on charges of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, and voting by an alien. Franco-Rodriguez illegally voted in Wake County, officials said.
Denslo Allen Paige, 66, was charged with aiding and abetting Espinosa-Pena in falsely claiming United States citizenship in order to register to vote, according to authorities.
Cannizzaro registered to vote in 2008 and voted in Wake County in the 2016 General Election, officials said.
Harris voted illegally in Cumberland County in 2016, according to officials.
Romanowski voted illegally in Johnston County in the General Elections of 2012 and 2016, officials said.
Merius Jean and Landeros-Mireles illegally voted in Wilson County during the 2012 and 2016 elections, according to the news release.
Hyo Suk George voted illegally in Columbus County in the 2008, 2010 and 2016 General Elections, officials said.
If convicted of voting by an alien the defendants would face maximum penalties of twelve months imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
