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- calendar_today October 9, 2026
Federal Indictment for Absentee Ballot Fraud
A Tijeras, New Mexico man, Patrick H. Perea, 62, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of fraudulent voting related to the 2024 general election. The indictment follows an alleged attempt to cast an absentee ballot in the name of his deceased wife.
Incident Details Surrounding the 2024 Election
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, the incident occurred in October 2024. Perea is accused of submitting his deceased wife’s absentee ballot to the Bureau of Elections at the Bernalillo County Clerk’s Office located in Albuquerque, as preparations for the November 2024 general election were underway. This act constituted what authorities have identified as an attempt to commit absentee ballot fraud.
Federal Response to Alleged Fraudulent Voting
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison emphasized the seriousness of the charge in a news release, stating, “Dead people can’t vote. Casting a ballot that belongs to someone else is a deliberate abuse of our election process and a federal crime. Election integrity depends on protecting the process from fraud and ensuring that unlawful votes do not dilute the votes of legitimate voters. If you try to vote for another person, you will be caught and we will prosecute.”
Potential Penalties if Convicted
If Perea is convicted of the charge of absentee ballot crime, he faces significant penalties. The maximum punishment includes up to five years in prison and a fine that could reach as high as $250,000. Fraudulent voting is a federal crime, and authorities stress their commitment to upholding the integrity of the election system in the pursuit of such cases.
Protecting Election Integrity in Bernalillo County
The incident underscores the ongoing scrutiny of absentee ballot procedures and the enforcement of laws intended to prevent voting fraud penalty. Officials from Bernalillo County and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have reiterated the importance of maintaining trust in the electoral process, responding swiftly to the alleged actions of a deceased voter's ballot being cast.
Broader Context
This case serves as a reminder of federal efforts to combat absentee ballot fraud and fraudulent voting, especially during major election cycles such as the 2024 election. The matter remains under legal proceedings, as Perea awaits the next steps in the federal judicial process.
Source: krqe.com.
