Florida Voter Fraud: Prosecutors Cite Law Enacted After Votes Cast

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a new voter fraud operation on September 24. The initiative targets twenty individuals. Twelve of those people were already in custody or being arrested at the time of the announcement. Prosecutors are charging eight of the twelve under a Florida law that did not exist when the alleged votes were cast.

Astrid Navarrete Quintana of Fort Myers is one of the eight. She is a legal permanent resident and the mother of a two-year-old. Her attorney, Connor Martin, says she voted on November 5, 2024. The specific statute cited in her case, Florida Statute 104.155, took effect on February 13, 2025. That is more than three months after she cast her ballot.

Noncitizen voting was already illegal before the new law passed. The older statute, Section 104.15, requires the state to prove the person knew they were not a qualified voter. The newer statute removes that knowledge requirement. It also bars a defense based on a mistaken belief about citizenship status. Martin filed a motion to dismiss Quintana’s voting charge based on these timing and legal differences.

Quintana faces two felony charges. One is for voting as an unqualified non-citizen. The other is for falsely affirming citizenship during registration. She has pleaded not guilty to both. Martin notes that the state mailed a voter registration card to her home address with her name on it. He argues she believed she was eligible to vote.

Quintana is currently in Lee County Jail. She turned herself in on an arrest warrant in August. Martin says she is going through a traumatic time. An immigration detainer has been placed on her by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The family has not posted bond yet. They fear she could be transferred to ICE custody while her criminal case is still pending.

The Attorney General’s office said the cases remain under investigation. A spokesperson did not answer why prosecutors are using the newer law for earlier conduct. The Office of Statewide Prosecution is handling the cases. Uthmeier stated that every illegal vote hurts the votes of lawful American citizens. He is seeking his first elected term after being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

This follows a previous sweep announced in August 2022. That operation targeted twenty people with murder or felony sexual-offense convictions. Outcomes in those cases varied. Several charges were dropped or reduced. One conviction was overturned because an appellate judge ruled the statewide prosecutor lacked authority. Quintana’s family has started a fundraiser to cover immigration legal fees while her husband cares for their child.