A Colombian national who lived under a stolen identity for more than two decades was sentenced to three years in federal prison on August 12, according to federal officials. Carlos Felipe Jaramillo-Grajales entered the United States without authorization at an unknown date and location. He pleaded guilty to making false statements on a U.S. passport application, aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming a Social Security number, and making a false claim of U.S. citizenship. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Jaramillo-Grajales used the name, birth date, and Social Security number of an actual U.S. citizen to get a passport, obtain a Florida driver’s license, and register to vote. Federal prosecutors stated he voted in multiple elections using the false persona, including the 2020 presidential race. Court records outline an elaborate domestic scheme that stretched across several years. While using the assumed identity, Jaramillo-Grajales married a woman who arrived in the U.S. on a visitor visa in September 2003. Claiming marriage to a U.S. citizen allowed her to gain naturalization in August 2017. The couple divorced in January 2020, and Jaramillo-Grajales flew back to Colombia under his assumed name. His ex-wife then traveled to Colombia to apply for a fiancé visa on his behalf—this time using his actual legal name. Once the visa cleared, Jaramillo-Grajales returned to the U.S., remarried her in June 2025, and filed for permanent residency based on his new marriage to a naturalized citizen. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin “This criminal illegal alien from Colombia has just been sentenced to three years in a federal prison for identity theft and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Because of his fraud, he was able to obtain a driver’s license and vote in our elections. Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of HSI, along with our federal partners, this criminal is out of our communities and, at the end of his sentence, will be removed from our country. DHS will always fight to protect the integrity of our elections, because election security is national security. Only Americans should be electing American leaders.” U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe stated that federal immigration laws exist to safeguard borders and protect government integrity, adding, “Those who seek to circumvent, exploit, or break these laws will be prosecuted fully.” U.S. Attorney Greg Kehoe “This criminal illegal alien spent years exploiting a stolen identity of a United States citizen to obtain government documents, claim benefits, and unlawfully participate in the electoral process,” said Tim Hemker, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for HSI Jacksonville. “This conviction demonstrates that identity theft, immigration fraud, and fraud against the integrity of United States government systems will be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. HSI remains committed to protecting victims, safeguarding public institutions, and ensuring that those who abuse our immigration and identification systems are held accountable.” The investigation was handled jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier handled the prosecution. The sentencing comes amid an ongoing enforcement initiative by the Trump Administration targeting non-citizen voting. Federal agencies have recently announced a series of similar cases across several states: In July, HSI arrested Marian Charitun, a Slovakian national accused of voting unlawfully in New Jersey’s 2022 elections. Also in July, investigators arrested Denise Nataly Migliore, an Australian citizen charged with voting illegally in Louisiana in 2022 and 2024. In May, the Department of Justice and DHS charged four non-citizens in New Jersey with casting illegal ballots in federal elections and lying on citizenship forms. In April, Mexican citizen Jose Ceballos pleaded guilty to three counts of disorderly election conduct after voting multiple times in Kansas under false citizenship claims. In March, immigration agents arrested Mahady Sacko of Mauritania, who authorities say had been voting illegally in the U.S. since 2008. DHS has also rolled out broader administrative rules aimed at local voting records. In June, the agency instructed ICE to push for stricter penalties—including formal deportation—for any non-citizens found voting. In July, Secretary Mullin sent letters alerting secretaries of state nationwide about registered non-citizens, and FEMA instituted new election-integrity requirements for state and local grant recipients. READ: U.S. Pledges Millions More In Aid, Deploys Military Flights For Deadly Colombia Earthquake Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage. Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.