Honduran National Charged With Voter Fraud in California

Federal authorities arrested a 30-year-old Honduran national on Friday, August 28, 2026, charging him with fraudulently registering to vote in California by falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. The arrest, announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, is being framed as the first in a promised series of election fraud prosecutions ahead of the midterm elections. Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores, a lawful permanent resident living in the Winnetka neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley, was taken into custody outside a Ventura healthcare facility. He faces two felony counts: making a false claim to U.S. citizenship and fraudulent voter registration. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to five years in federal prison on each count and would face mandatory deportation. According to the federal complaint, Rivera Flores entered the United States in 2002 and has no record of ever seeking or obtaining citizenship. Investigators discovered an online voter registration record under the name Darwin Rivera tied to his address. A certified application, receipt, and signature image from the California Secretary of State's office were obtained.