Three Fresno County residents are among 28 people charged with federal election crimes across California, including allegations of illegally voting in U.S. elections, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

The charges, announced as part of a statewide investigation called “Operation Protect the Vote,” involve 28 foreign nationals who are lawful permanent residents, also known as green card holders.

Federal officials said 11 people were arrested Monday as part of the investigation, which involved all four U.S. attorney’s offices in California.

Three Fresno County Residents Charged

The three Fresno County defendants are accused of voting in federal elections despite not being U.S. citizens.

According to the Justice Department:

• Maricela Nazarín González, 43, of Clovis: A Mexican national who registered to vote in 2020 while indicating she was a U.S. citizen. Federal prosecutors allege she voted in elections in 2022, twice in 2024, and in 2025.
• Rony de Jesús Sicaja, 38, of Fresno: A Guatemalan national who allegedly registered to vote fraudulently in 2017 and subsequently voted in the June 2022 primary election and November 2024 general election.
• Camino Giles Jiménez, 51, of Kerman: A Mexican national accused of knowingly voting in three U.S. elections despite being aware he was not a citizen. His most recent alleged vote occurred during the June 2026 primary election.

All three face misdemeanor charges of voting by an alien in a federal election, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison.

Statewide Investigation Targets Alleged Illegal Voting

The Justice Department said the 28 defendants are lawful permanent residents who are legally allowed to live in the United States but are not permitted to vote in U.S. elections.

Federal prosecutors allege the defendants falsely claimed U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Many subsequently cast ballots in federal elections.

Some defendants outside Fresno County also face felony charges related to false statements on naturalization applications.

The Justice Department said it provided California officials with a list of individuals on Tuesday in an effort to have their vote-by-mail ballots set aside until their citizenship status could be confirmed.

Federal officials said California declined to assist with that request, prompting a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent the ballots from being counted.

“Every illegal vote cancels out the vote of a lawful American citizen,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter.

The investigation is part of a coordinated effort among federal prosecutors throughout California to identify and prosecute alleged election-related offenses.

The Justice Department said the 11 defendants arrested Monday were expected to make their initial court appearances that afternoon.

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