The Justice Department on Thursday announced charges against 18 noncitizens in North Carolina who are accused of illegally voting in the 2024 election. The department said the new cases bring to 30 the number of people indicted in the state this year for illegal voting.
Nine people were charged in the Eastern District of North Carolina, five in the Middle District and four in the Western District, according to the department. Twelve others were indicted earlier in the Eastern District. Charges are allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Most of the defendants are described as lawful permanent residents, meaning they are legally allowed to live in the United States but are not citizens. The department described one defendant, Selvin Porfidio Gonzalez Escobar, 43, of Robeson County, as an illegal alien from Guatemala. The release said “including an illegal alien” in its description of the Eastern District group.
In the Eastern District, a federal grand jury indicted nine people. The indictments allege all nine falsely claimed to be U.S. citizens to register and vote in the 2024 general election. Each is charged with one count of falsely claiming citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien.
The release gave differing voting histories for some of the Eastern District defendants. It says Elizabeth Margaret Crudup, 52, of Harnett County, registered in 2008 and voted in nine general elections and nine primaries. It says Gregory Eugene Wade, 64, of Wake County, registered in 2000 and voted in 12 general elections and two primaries. Others are accused of voting only in 2024.
In the Middle District, five people were charged. Four were indicted on one count of making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote and one count of voting by an alien. The fifth, Yamila Avalos of Concord, is charged only with voting by an alien.
In the Western District, a federal grand jury in Charlotte indicted three men, and a fourth, Edread Ray Stanley, was charged separately. Stanley faces one count of voting by an alien. The indictments allege that two of the others stated on an Authorization to Vote Form that they were citizens and voted on Nov. 5, 2024. A third is accused of making the same claim on an Early Voting Application and voting on Oct. 30, 2024.
The false-citizenship charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the department. Voting by an alien carries a maximum of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. A federal judge would decide any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said, “Illegal voting is just that: illegal.” He said noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle of the Eastern District said the office “will not tolerate illegal voting in North Carolina.” He said the 21 indictments in his district should serve as a message ahead of the 2026 election.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson of the Western District said the state’s 2025 municipal elections included 14 races decided by two votes, 15 decided by one vote and seven that ended in ties.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the three districts are prosecuting them. The release did not list court dates.