The Justice Department announced Wednesday that 18 noncitizens, including at least one person in the country illegally, have been indicted in North Carolina on charges connected to illegal voting in the 2024 election. The new indictments bring the statewide total this year to 30 people charged.
Nine of the new cases were filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina, five in the Middle District, and four in the Western District, which covers Charlotte. These charges are in addition to 12 people previously indicted in the Eastern District, according to the DOJ.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said in a statement that the department intends to keep pursuing these cases. “Illegal voting is just that: illegal. If you’re not an American citizen, you cannot vote in our federal elections,” McCotter said. “We want to prevent illegal voting from occurring, which is why we’ve now charged 30 people just in North Carolina who have violated our laws by illegally registering to vote and illegally voting. We need to preserve the integrity of the ballot box by ensuring only those eligible are casting ballots.”
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson pointed to how close recent local races have been in the state. “In our most recent elections in North Carolina — the 2025 municipal elections — there were 14 races decided by 2 votes; 15 races decided by 1 vote; and 7 races that were tied. Every vote matters. And the public must have confidence that our elections are conducted fairly and that every ballot cast is a lawful one,” Ferguson said.
The DOJ said it is sending additional election monitors to Alamance, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties, three of the areas tied to the alleged fraudulent voting.
Eastern District Charges
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle of the Eastern District of North Carolina announced nine new indictments against noncitizens accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register and vote in the 2024 general election. Combined with 12 indictments announced Oct. 15, that brings the total in the Eastern District to 21.
“Protecting the integrity of our elections is fundamental to preserving our constitutional republic,” Boyle said. “Indeed, the right to vote is the primary seed from which all other rights and liberties sprout… Every unlawful ballot silences the voice of a lawful voter, striking at the core of our great nation. This is not a victimless crime; every citizen who casts a lawful vote is a victim.” Boyle added: “With these nine indictments, added to the 10 we announced earlier this month and two from earlier in the year, we make it crystal clear: we will not tolerate illegal voting in North Carolina.”
Those charged in the Eastern District include:
- Selvin Porfidio Gonzalez Escobar, 43, of Robeson County, a Guatemalan national, charged with falsely claiming citizenship to vote and voting by an alien; he registered in 2020 and voted in 2020 and 2024.
- Amerigo Di Nolfi, 53, a native of Italy and U.K. citizen now of Massachusetts, charged for voting in New Hanover County in 2024.
- Elizabeth Margaret Crudup, 52, of Harnett County, a Kenyan-born lawful permanent resident, charged with voting in nine general elections since 2008 and nine primaries.
- Gregory Eugene Wade, 64, of Wake County, a Bermuda native, charged with voting in 12 general elections since 2000.
- Jacqueline Yvonne Papandreou Brown, 63, of Duplin County, a Singapore-born U.K. citizen, charged with voting in 2024.
- Karl Anthony Wilkins, 62, now of Fulton County, Georgia, a Jamaican native, charged with voting in Wake County in 2020, 2022 and 2024.
- Patricia Elena Valencia Cardona, 56, of Harnett County, a Colombian native, charged with voting in 2024.
- Richard John Reid, 62, of New Hanover County, a U.K. native, charged with voting in four general elections since 2002.
- Taso Gretes, 58, of New Hanover County, a Greek-born Canadian citizen, charged with voting in 2024.
Middle District Charges
U.S. Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina said his office is committed to pursuing similar cases. “This office is committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and ensuring that laws enacted to ensure fairness and secure our rights are upheld,” Bishop said. “These charges serve notice that those who violate our election laws, including non-citizens who register and vote, will be investigated and prosecuted.”
Five people were charged in the Middle District:
- Adrianus Marinus Van Der Staak, a Netherlands national living in Seagrove.
- Saida Adali Hirachete Olivarez, a Mexican national living in Reidsville.
- Juan Florencio Ramos, a Cuban citizen living in Salisbury.
- Phillip Alexander Carter, a Barbados native living in Winston-Salem.
- Yamila Avalos, an Argentinian national living in Concord, charged by information with voting by an alien.
Western District Charges
Four people were indicted in the Western District, which includes Charlotte:
- Michael Agah, 74, a Nigerian national living in Charlotte, accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on an Authorization to Vote Form before voting Nov. 5, 2024.
- Luis Alberto DeJesus, 50, a Dominican national living in Conover, accused of falsely claiming citizenship on an Early Voting Application and voting Oct. 30, 2024.
- Serge Christian Dupont, 57, a French national living in Charlotte, accused of falsely claiming citizenship and voting Nov. 5, 2024.
- Edread Ray Stanley, 63, of St. Kitts and Nevis, living in Charlotte, charged by information with voting Nov. 5, 2024, while knowing he was not a citizen.
Federal officials said making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If the person charged is a green card holder or in the country illegally, an additional penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine can apply.
