A federal grand jury in Santa Ana has indicted 10 noncitizens living in Los Angeles and Orange counties, alleging they illegally registered to vote by falsely claiming United States citizenship.
Federal prosecutors also allege several defendants unlawfully voted in U.S. elections, including the 2024 general election. Two defendants remain fugitives.
The indictments are part of “Operation Protect the Vote,” an ongoing, coordinated federal effort in California to root out election fraud and protect electoral integrity, according to the Justice Department.
All 10 defendants are lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders. That status does not confer U.S. citizenship or permit them to register to vote or vote in U.S. elections.
The defendants previously were charged by federal criminal complaint last month. Nine now face charges of making false statements on their naturalization forms. The tenth is charged with falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
Among those indicted is Omar Alexander Muñoz, 72, a Belizean national living in Commerce. Prosecutors allege Muñoz falsely claimed citizenship when registering in September 2019, then illegally voted in 2020, twice in 2022 and again in 2024. On his naturalization application, he allegedly denied ever claiming U.S. citizenship or registering to vote.
Other defendants accused of unlawful voting include:
- Jesús Narez-Madrigal, 52, a Mexican national living in Carson, who allegedly registered in 2014 by falsely claiming citizenship and illegally voted in the 2024 general election. Prosecutors also allege he made false statements in his June 2024 naturalization paperwork.
- Amandeep Kaur, 30, an Indian national living in Rancho Palos Verdes, who allegedly registered in December 2022 and unlawfully voted in November 2024. Her naturalization application allegedly denied that she had ever claimed U.S. citizenship or registered to vote.
- Ernesto Gutiérrez Ruvalcaba, 57, a Mexican national living in Wilmington, who allegedly falsely claimed citizenship to register in February 2024 and unlawfully voted the following month. He remains a fugitive.
Muhammad Khan, 50, a Pakistani national living in Anaheim, allegedly submitted a provisional ballot in 2020 on which he falsely claimed U.S. citizenship. Prosecutors say he falsely denied making that claim on his naturalization paperwork five years later.
The remaining defendants allegedly registered to vote by falsely claiming citizenship and later made false statements on their naturalization forms:
- Ana Domínguez, 60, a Salvadoran national living in Long Beach, allegedly registered in July 2006 and lied about it on naturalization paperwork in March 2026.
- José Antonio Bañuelos-Díaz, 42, a Mexican national living in West Adams, allegedly registered in 2007 and falsely denied doing so on naturalization paperwork in March 2025.
- Carlos Antonio Galeas, 54, a Honduran national living in West Covina, allegedly registered in 2012 and 2016 and lied about it on naturalization paperwork in September 2018.
- Flavio Alejandro Zúñiga, 43, a Mexican national living in La Puente, allegedly registered in 2003 and falsely denied doing so on naturalization paperwork in February 2026.
- Axel Giovani Prera García, 46, a Guatemalan national living in Pico Rivera, allegedly registered in 2002 and 2005 and made false statements about it on naturalization paperwork in June 2025. He remains a fugitive.
Arraignments for Muñoz, Khan, Domínguez and Bañuelos-Díaz are scheduled for November 16. Narez-Madrigal, Galeas and Zúñiga are scheduled for November 17. Kaur’s arraignment is set for November 20.
Each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if convicted.
Homeland Security is investigating the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Wheat and Minjae Kim of the Orange County Office are prosecuting.
Information provided by the US Department of Justice.
