A Mexican citizen residing illegally in the United States was charged on March 20 with identity theft, voter fraud, and passport fraud after allegedly using an American citizen's identity to obtain official documents and vote, according to a March 27 announcement by United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
The case involves Eliseo Morales-Tapia, age 58, who is accused of obtaining a Texas driver’s license, a Texas identification card, a social security card, and a U.S. passport by assuming the identity of an individual living in Chicago. The complaint alleges that Morales-Tapia used the victim’s birth certificate and social security number to secure these documents. In October 2025, he reportedly affirmed his citizenship status while updating his address for his Texas driver’s license under the victim's name. The complaint further states that Morales-Tapia renewed a U.S. passport originally obtained in the victim’s name in 2015 and voted in Tarrant County on November 5, 2024.
Morales-Tapia appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge on March 25 for an initial hearing and remains in federal custody as proceedings continue. If convicted on all counts—identity theft, voter fraud, and passport fraud—he could face up to twenty years’ imprisonment: five years each for identity theft and voter fraud charges and ten years for passport fraud.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Field Office led the investigation with assistance from several agencies including the Diplomatic Security Service, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Texas Department of Public Safety, Frisco Police Department, and Richardson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Capoccia is prosecuting the case.
Officials emphasize that "a complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence," noting that "all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
