Two more noncitizens have been charged with illegally voting in federal elections in New Jersey and later lying about their voting histories while applying for U.S. citizenship, bringing the number of people charged in similar federal cases this year to 12.
Patrick Terrance Reid, a 61-year-old Jamaican national from Orange, and Danubis Bernat, a 49-year-old Venezuelan national from South Amboy, were each charged with voting in a federal election while not a citizen and making false statements on their naturalization applications.
Federal prosecutors allege that Reid and Bernat falsely certified that they were U.S. citizens when they registered to vote and subsequently cast ballots while still noncitizens.
Reid allegedly voted in the 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections. Bernat allegedly voted in the November 2024 general election.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force brought the charges.
Ten other noncitizens have been charged in New Jersey in voting-related federal cases: Muhammad Muzammal, Muhammad Shakeel, David Neewilly, Jacenth Beadle Exum, Idan Choresh, Abhinandan Vig, Eliezer Kadoch, Marian Charitun, Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso and Sanata Coulibaly. Some were charged directly with illegally voting, while others were charged with naturalization offenses related to their voting histories.
Reid appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark, while Bernat appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton.
The illegal voting charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Making false statements while seeking citizenship carries a maximum of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.