DOJ Arrests Foreigner Accused of Taking Advantage of California’s Weak Election Laws
A man named Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores, a Honduran green-card holder living in Winnetka, was arrested and charged with falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote in California. He entered the U.S. in 2002 and is not a citizen-he has never applied for citizenship. Rivera submitted a voter registration form claiming U.S. citizenship, despite evidence that he was born in Honduras. Prosecutors found he did not actually vote. This case is part of a broader effort to address voter fraud, with officials pointing out that California’s easy registration process may enable non-citizens to falsely register and receive ballots. Rivera has a criminal history involving immigration-related issues and threats against federal agents. Each felony charge could lead to up to five years in prison. Authorities emphasize the importance of verifying citizenship beyond just checking a box, and they are considering further investigations into voter rolls to prevent non-citizen participation in elections.
Federal agents arrested a Honduran green-card holder in the San Fernando Valley Friday and charged him with lying about being a U.S. citizen so he could get on California’s voter rolls.
Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores, 30, of Winnetka, faces two felony counts: making a false claim of citizenship and fraudulent voter registration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said.
He is a permanent resident who entered the United States in 2002. Prosecutors said he is not a citizen and has never applied to become one.
Investigators said he submitted an online registration dated Nov. 4, 2025, under the name Darwin J. Rivera.
The form included a check mark next to the statement “I am a U.S. citizen,” signed under penalty of perjury, according to the Justice Department.
State and Los Angeles County records listed his birthplace as the United States of America, the complaint said. Officials said that is false.
Prosecutors said they found no record that he actually cast a ballot.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced the arrest on X and called it the start of a larger effort.
🚨 Election Fraud Arrests Begin
This morning we arrested and federally charged a Honduran national for unlawfully registering to vote in California and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.
Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores, 30, of Winnetka, is charged with two felonies and faces… pic.twitter.com/XUE8gII4GK
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) August 28, 2026
“Today’s arrest is the first of many to come,” Essayli said in the Justice Department release. “Unfortunately, because states like California allow non-citizens to easily register to vote and receive a ballot by mail, there’s no telling how many non-citizens are currently registered to vote.”
He again asked California to give the Justice Department a full audit of its voter rolls.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the Civil Rights Division, said noncitizens who commit fraud to get into American elections “should expect to be prosecuted.”
Rivera’s file is not limited to the registration form.
In February, prosecutors said, he disrupted an immigration enforcement operation at a federal building in Camarillo. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was placed on probation in connection with that case.
From April into July, officials said, he sent a federal agent text messages that included, “I can’t wait until the mid terms you dont have qualified immunity then we can start and indict all you guys one by one,” according to the office.
Homeland Security Investigations is handling the case. Each count carries a statutory maximum of five years in federal prison if he is convicted.
California automatically mails ballots to registered voters and has made it easy to get on the list through motor-vehicle and online systems. Citizenship is supposed to be a requirement. Checking a box is not the same as proving it.
That is the gap Essayli is pointing at.
Federal law is clear that only citizens may vote in federal elections. A state that treats a checkbox as enough verification invites exactly this kind of case.
Whether Rivera’s registration is an isolated (alleged) lie or a sample of a dirty roll is what an audit would test.
Until California opens the books, prosecutors will keep bringing the cases they can prove — one complaint at a time.
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