A 42-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala living in Alabama was charged last week by the U.S. Department of Justice for illegally assuming a U.S. citizen’s identity and using it to vote in multiple elections.

According to a nine-count indictment, Angelica Maria Francisco, most recently of Russellville, assumed a U.S. citizen’s identity in 2011 to fraudulently obtain a passport, which she used to travel between the U.S. and Guatemala multiple times.

She also used the false identity to illegally register to vote in Alabama and cast ballots in the 2016 and 2020 elections. In 2021, she renewed the fraudulent passport and continued traveling internationally under the false identity, according to the indictment.

Francisco will plead guilty to all charges, according to a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, who has recently raised the alarm on the threat of illegal immigrants participating in American elections, said his office and law enforcement partners will prosecute those who vote illegally.

“I’ve been very clear that that a top priority of this office is ensuring only eligible American citizens are voting in Alabama elections,” said Allen, who thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Alabama for investigating and charging Francisco.

The U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Atlanta Resident Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the East Metro Area Crime Center also assisted in the investigation.