An individual who entered the country illegally has received a five-year federal prison sentence for taking on the identity of a U.S. citizen. This person used the stolen identity to cast votes in multiple elections and acquire several U.S. passports.
Angelica Maria Francisco, a 42-year-old resident of Russellville, Alabama, was handed down the sentence by U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke.
Francisco admitted his guilt in September 2024 for a variety of charges, which included falsely claiming citizenship, providing false statements in a passport application, using a U.S. passport acquired through deceitful means, and committing aggravated identity theft.
“This sentence sends a clear message that any attempts by non-U.S. citizens to vote in the Northern District of Alabama are unacceptable and will result in serious consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “Maintaining the sanctity of the U.S. election system is one of the most important responsibilities of federal law enforcement. My office will remain vigilant in carrying out this mission and, to that end, will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who seek to undermine our elections.”
In the plea agreement, it is stated that in 2011, Francisco took on the identity of a U.S. citizen and used this fraudulent identity to acquire a U.S. passport. She then utilized the passport for travel between Guatemala and the United States in 2012, 2015, and 2018.
Francisco also utilized the stolen identity to successfully register for voting in Alabama back in 2016. Not only that, but she also managed to cast ballots in both the 2016 and 2020 primary and general elections. Surprisingly, even in 2021, she boldly used the same fabricated identity to renew her passport. This renewed document enabled her to embark on a journey to Guatemala once again in 2022.
The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) collaborated with multiple agencies, such as the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, East Metro Area Crime Center, and the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, to investigate the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich.
