Seven Noncitizens Charged in North Texas Cases Involving Voting, Citizenship Claims
FORT WORTH, Texas - Seven noncitizens have been federally charged in North Texas with offenses involving voting in federal elections or false claims of U.S. citizenship, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. Six were indicted Sept. 10, while a seventh was charged by criminal complaint Sept. 11.
Federal agents arrested one defendant Sept. 11 and five others Sept. 14. The remaining defendant, who had been considered a fugitive, surrendered to federal authorities Sept. 15.
The cases involve separate allegations, most connected to the November 2024 general election in Tarrant County. One involves voting in Dallas County, while another centers on statements made during the naturalization process about earlier voter registration and voting.
Helen Sayen Adams, 67, a Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident since May 2024, is charged with voting by an alien in a federal election and making a false statement of citizenship to register to vote. Prosecutors allege Adams claimed to be a U.S. citizen on a Texas voter registration application in June 2024 and subsequently voted in the November 2024 general election in Tarrant County.
Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom, 27, a Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2016, is charged with making false statements related to naturalization. According to prosecutors, Akpom denied on a 2026 naturalization application that he had previously claimed U.S. citizenship, registered to vote or voted. The government alleges he registered in 2017 and voted in the 2018 general election. Prosecutors said the earlier voting conduct fell outside the five-year statute of limitations, leading to the naturalization-related charge instead.
Carlos Salas Barrios, 41, a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2018, was charged by criminal complaint with voting by an alien in a federal election. Prosecutors allege he cast a provisional ballot in Tarrant County during the November 2024 election despite not being a U.S. citizen or registered voter. The provisional ballot was rejected and was not counted.
Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, 69, an Indian citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2022, is charged with voting by an alien and making a false statement of citizenship to register to vote. Prosecutors allege he claimed U.S. citizenship while registering in January 2024 and again while applying for a Texas driver's license that August. He is accused of voting in the November 2024 election.
Celestin Katubadi, 20, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and lawful permanent resident, is charged with voting by an alien and making a false statement of citizenship to vote. According to prosecutors, Katubadi claimed U.S. citizenship on a provisional voter affidavit and cast a provisional ballot in Tarrant County in November 2024. That ballot also was rejected and was not counted.
Rocio Thrasher, 38, a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident since 2017, is charged with voting by an alien and making a false statement of citizenship to register to vote. The indictment alleges Thrasher claimed U.S. citizenship when registering in June 2024 and later voted in the November election.
Moises Anwar Arellano-Alba, 36, a Mexican citizen whom federal prosecutors describe as unlawfully present in the United States and who was ordered deported in July, is charged with voting by an alien and making a false statement of citizenship to register to vote. Prosecutors allege he claimed U.S. citizenship on a Texas driver's license application in 2023 and voted early in Dallas County during the 2024 general election. He surrendered to federal authorities Sept. 15.
The U.S. Attorney's Office also pointed to a separate North Texas case involving Eliseo Morales-Tapia, a Mexican citizen who had previously been accused of using another person's identity to obtain government identification and vote in Tarrant County. Federal prosecutors said Morales-Tapia was sentenced to 36 months in prison for offenses including aggravated identity theft, identity theft, voting by an alien and false statements of citizenship.
List of defendants
- Helen Sayen Adams, 67 – Nigerian citizen
- Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom, 27 – Nigerian citizen
- Carlos Salas Barrios, 41 – Mexican citizen
- Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, 69 – Indian citizen
- Celestin Katubadi, 20 – citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo
- Rocio Thrasher, 38 – Mexican citizen
- Moises Anwar Arellano-Alba, 36 – Mexican citizen
Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI's Dallas field office investigated the seven cases with assistance from the Texas Attorney General's Election Integrity Unit and the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office.
