Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores, a 30-year-old Honduran national living in the San Fernando Valley, was arrested on charges of fraudulently registering to vote in U.S. elections, according to federal prosecutors. According to the U.S.
Charges and Federal Allegations Against Darwin Jonathan Rivera Flores
Rivera, a resident of Winnetka, faces two felony counts: false claim to U.S. citizenship and fraudulent voter registration, according to court documents cited by the Justice Department. According to an affidavit, Rivera was born in Honduras, entered the United States in 2002, and holds status as a lawful permanent resident without U.S. citizenship. Prosecutors stated that Rivera has not voted in any election.
According to the Justice Department, law enforcement investigators discovered an online voter registration record under the name “Darwin Rivera” tied to his Winnetka address. Authorities obtained a certified voter registration application number, a registration receipt, and a signature image from the California Secretary of State Elections Division. Prosecutors stated that the application indicated no assistance was used to fill out the form, checked a box confirming U.S. citizenship, and listed the United States as the birthplace.
According to court papers, Rivera’s arrest follows a series of text messages sent to a federal agent beginning in April. Prosecutors stated that Rivera previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor citation for disrupting immigration law enforcement operations at a federal building in Camarillo in February, for which he was placed on probation. If convicted of the current federal charges, Rivera faces up to five years in federal prison on each count, according to prosecutors.
Broader Voter Registration Enforcement in California
Following the arrest, federal officials reiterated calls for election administration changes in California. According to Bill Essayli, authorities requested that California immediately comply with requests to audit voter rolls to ensure election confidence, noting that state policies allowing non-citizens to easily register and receive mail-in ballots create uncertainty regarding existing registrations.
Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized that federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. According to the Justice Department, the agency stands ready to enforce laws enacted by Congress to maintain the integrity of federal voting processes.
Related Voter Fraud Case in Orange County
Department of Justice charged a 62-year-old Costa Mesa resident with five felonies for registering her dog to vote. According to prosecutors, Laura Lee Yourex registered her dog, Maya, to vote in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election.
According to the DOJ, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office was notified in October 2024 after Yourex self-reported that she cast a mail-in ballot addressed to her dog. Investigators found social media posts from January 2022 showing the dog wearing an “I voted” sticker with a ballot, and an October 2024 post displaying a vote-by-mail ballot after the dog had passed away. Prosecutors stated that while the dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 recall election, the 2022 primary ballot was challenged and rejected.
Yourex faces charges of perjury, procuring or offering a false or forged document, registering a non-existent person to vote, and casting a ballot when not entitled to vote. If convicted, she faces a minimum of six years in state prison, according to prosecutors.
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