A Canadian citizen living in North Carolina has pleaded guilty to voting illegally in a U.S. election after falsely claiming to be an American citizen, federal prosecutors said.Denis Bouchard, 70, admitted in federal court that he falsely stated he was a U.S. citizen on voter registration applications in order to vote in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential election.Prosecutors said Bouchard had lived in the United States since the 1960s but had never obtained American citizenship.Court records show Bouchard was registered to vote in North Carolina and certified that he was a U.S. citizen, allowing him to cast a ballot in the federal election. Federal law allows only US citizens to vote in federal elections.Prosecutors said Bouchard voted in the 2022 congressional elections and again in the 2024 presidential election.
Both votes were cast after he falsely claimed citizenship on voter registration forms, according to court documents.Bouchard now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Each count of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship in order to vote carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison.Investigators believe Bouchard may have voted in elections in New Hanover and Pender counties for many years, possibly dating back two decades.
However, he was only charged for actions related to the 2022 and 2024 elections. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said some federal crimes are subject to a five-year statute of limitations, which can limit the extent to which charges can be brought.US Attorney General Ellis Boyle said in a statement that illegal voting by non-citizens undermines confidence in the election. He said investigators and election officials worked together to identify the case.
