A Texas judge sentenced Mexican citizen Laura Janeth Garza to 10 years in jail for illegally voting in the 2016 presidential election. As Fox News reports, she pleaded guilty Thursday to counts of voter impersonation and ineligible voting. Both crimes are felonies in the state.
In addition to the jail time, Garza also has to pay a $10,000 fine, and she will be sent back to Mexico.
A state investigation revealed that Garza obtained her U.S. citizen documentation by theft. She assumed the identity of someone who had registered to vote in Harris County, Texas. According to investigators, Garza was known as “Angie Yadira Zamora” when she voted in the 2004, 2012 and 2016 elections.
The deception ended when a real U.S. citizen applied for a passport, only to be told that someone with that name and address had already secured one, Texas Attorney General told the Houston Chronicle.
“Election integrity is a top priority for my office, and arrestees and convictions like this clearly demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that Texas elections remain free and fair,” said Paxton.
The case will undoubtedly strengthen Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s legislation to enact even stiffer consequences for voter fraud.