Federal prosecutors have charged 18 more people in North Carolina with allegedly voting illegally in the state’s 2024 election, expanding an election-related criminal case that now includes 30 indictments announced in 2026.
The Justice Department announced the new charges Thursday, Oct. 29. The cases are spread across North Carolina’s federal court system: nine defendants in the Eastern District, five in the Middle District and four in the Western District. The announcement did not identify the 18 defendants or provide individual details about the allegations against them.
Cases span all three federal districts
The new indictments follow charges brought earlier this year against 12 people in the Eastern District, according to federal officials. Together, those earlier charges and the latest cases account for the 30 indictments announced in North Carolina this year in connection with alleged illegal voting.
The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. Each defendant would have the opportunity to contest the accusations in federal court, and any sentence would be imposed by a judge only after considering the applicable sentencing guidelines and other factors.
| Federal district | New indictments |
|---|---|
| Eastern District of North Carolina | 9 |
| Middle District of North Carolina | 5 |
| Western District of North Carolina | 4 |
| Total | 18 |
What prosecutors say the cases involve
Federal officials said one of the people charged was described by the Justice Department as being in the country illegally. The announcement did not provide additional information about that person’s identity, the alleged vote or the circumstances surrounding the case.
The department said a person who falsely claims to be a U.S. citizen in order to register or vote could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Voting as a noncitizen carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the federal announcement.
- False claims of U.S. citizenship connected to registration or voting: maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
- Voting as a noncitizen: maximum of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
- Actual penalties, if any, would be determined by a federal judge.
Those maximums are not automatic sentences. The final outcome in each case will depend on the charges, the evidence, court proceedings and the judge’s consideration of sentencing rules. The announcement did not state whether any of the defendants had entered pleas or whether the cases had been resolved.
Officials frame prosecutions as election-security cases
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter described the indictments as part of the Justice Department’s effort to ensure that only eligible voters participate in federal elections.
“Illegal voting is just that: illegal,” Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said in a statement.
McCotter also said people who are not American citizens cannot vote in federal elections. The department characterized the prosecutions as an effort to protect election integrity, while the FBI said it works with state and federal partners when questions about voter eligibility arise.
Reid Davis, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office, said the bureau assigns election-crimes coordinators to its field offices. He said investigators review records and seek to confirm facts when eligibility questions are raised.
“When questions about voter eligibility arise, we work closely with our state and federal partners to review records, confirm the facts, and ensure election laws are honored,” Davis said.
What remains unclear
The information released Thursday does not explain how the alleged votes were identified, whether the cases involve the same type of conduct or how the defendants were distributed among North Carolina’s counties. It also does not say whether prosecutors allege that any person voted more than once, used another person’s identity or otherwise violated a particular election law.
Those distinctions matter because an indictment is a formal accusation, not proof that an offense occurred. The public announcement provides the number of defendants and the federal districts handling the cases, but additional facts would be needed to assess the individual allegations and their potential impact on the 2024 election.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the cases, according to the Justice Department announcement. The agencies’ work comes as federal officials emphasize that violations of election law can undermine public confidence and affect the legitimacy voters attach to election results.
For North Carolina voters, the immediate development is the scale of the federal response: 18 new indictments announced in one day, on top of 12 earlier charges. The cases will now proceed through the federal courts, where the allegations will be tested and where judges, rather than investigators or political officials, will determine the legal outcomes.
