Ohio Woman Accused of Illegally Voting as a Noncitizen Acquitted at Trial
The case ended after jurors heard Dearaujo’s testimony and defense arguments that she was a lawful resident who did not vote illegally.
- On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, a Franklin County judge acquitted Maria Dearaujo of illegally voting in the 2018 election, finding she was entrapped by a government official who instructed her to register.
- During a 2005 Bureau of Motor Vehicles interaction, a clerk instructed Dearaujo to register to vote. She subsequently voted as a Democrat in 2016 and 2018 while a lawful permanent resident, prompting prosecutors to charge her.
- Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown accepted the entrapment defense, finding the government led Dearaujo into committing a crime she otherwise would not have committed. Brown said testimony aligned with documentary evidence.
- The verdict represents a significant loss for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who touted charges against Dearaujo and five others in October 2024. Yost recently announced plans to resign effective June 7.
- Despite the acquittal, Dearaujo faces potential federal legal consequences from immigration authorities. Two similar illegal voting cases remain pending in Franklin County following Yost's prosecution efforts.
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Associated Press News
Ohio woman accused of illegally voting as a noncitizen acquitted at trial
A U.S. citizen was found not guilty Tuesday of illegally voting in the 2018 election when she was a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
"Ohio woman accused of illegally voting as a noncitizen acquitted at trial" #ELB
Signal Ohio: A U.S. citizen was found not guilty Tuesday of illegally voting in the 2018 election when she was a lawful permanent resident of the United States. A guilty verdict would have led to up to 18 months in… Continue reading The post “Ohio woman accused of illegally voting as a noncitizen acquitted at trial” appeared first on Election Law Blog.
Ohio woman accused of illegally voting as a noncitizen acquitted - Signal Cleveland
A U.S. citizen was found not guilty Tuesday of illegally voting in the 2018 election when she was a lawful permanent resident of the United States. A guilty verdict would have led to up to 18 months in prison for Maria Dearaujo, 63. But Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown sided with the defense’s argument of entrapment. This generally entails a government actor leading a person into committing a crime they wouldn’t have otherwise com…
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