AUSTIN, Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday announced that a jail sentence and deportation was obtained for a non-citizen who pleaded guilty to charges of voter impersonation and voter fraud, both second-degree felonies.
Laura Janeth Garza, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 10 years in jail, probated for 10 years, charged a $10,000 fine and 180 days in jail to be served day-for-day on each count as a condition of probation, according to Paxton’s office.
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Garza will be deported shortly after serving her jail time.
“Election integrity is a top priority for my office, and arrests and convictions like this clearly demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that Texas elections remain free and fair,” Paxton said. “Anyone attempting to deprive the people of Texas of their voice in either state or federal elections will be brought to justice and penalized by the full extent of the law.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Houston Region brought Garza’s case to Attorney General Paxton’s office, and it was determined in May that she stole the identity of a U.S. citizen and illegally registered to vote in Harris County. Garza voted illegally in multiple elections, including the November 2016 presidential election.