A man originally from Iraq has been charged with voting illegally in the 2020 election in Saratoga County, New York. U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, FBI's Albany Field Office Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli, and HSI Buffalo Field Office Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan announced the charges against Akeel Abdul Jamiel, 45, who previously lived in South Glens Falls, New York.
An information filed in federal court accuses Jamiel, who is not a U.S. citizen, of casting a ballot during the November 2020 elections. As per legal procedure, the charge is an accusation, and Jamiel is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sarcone remarked, “As alleged, Jamiel’s voting in the 2020 election was a callous and illegal act. We will continue to investigate and prosecute illegal schemes aimed at corrupting the election process.”
Craig L. Tremaroli of the FBI underscored the priority of securing elections, saying, “Election security is and will continue to be one of the FBI’s highest national security priorities. Americans have a right to expect free and fair elections and the FBI is committed to working with our partners to seek justice for anyone trying to interfere with the democratic process.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Erin Keegan from HSI added, “This defendant’s alleged crimes are an insult to the democratic process and demonstrate his blatant disregard for the sanctity of American constitutional rights. I commend HSI Albany and our law-enforcement partners for their success in this unified effort.”
This charge against Jamiel comes with potential penalties of up to one year in prison and fines amounting to $100,000. A judge will determine the actual sentence based on applicable laws, sentencing guidelines, and specific case particulars.