LOS ANGELES (AP) - A man seeking to run for mayor of a Southern California suburb and a co-defendant allegedly submitted 8,000 fraudulent voter registration applications on behalf of homeless people, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
Overt acts listed in the criminal complaint did not indicate any fraudulent ballots were cast, and a press release did not specify how the homeless were involved. In an email response to queries, the prosecutor’s office declined to comment.
Carlos Antonio De Bourbon Montenegro, 53, and Marcos Raul Arevalo, 34, each pleaded not guilty during arraignment Tuesday. It’s not immediately known if the men have attorneys who can comment on their behalf.
The case includes allegations that Montenegro falsified names, addresses and signatures on nominations to run for mayor of Hawthorne, the press release said.
The two men were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit voter fraud, eight counts of voter fraud, four counts of procuring and offering a false or forged instrument and four misdemeanor counts of interference with a prompt transfer of a completed affidavit.
Montenegro was charged with an additional 10 counts of voter fraud, seven counts of procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, two counts of perjury and five misdemeanor counts of interference with a prompt transfer of a completed affidavit.
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