Panama City, FL – A 52-year-old Jamaican citizen, Jacqueline Dianne Wallace, has been charged with making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to register for the 2024 Florida Presidential Primary Election. The announcement was made by Michelle Spaven, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, following Wallace’s initial court appearance in Tallahassee.
Wallace entered the United States in December 2010 on a six-month B2 tourism visa but failed to return to Jamaica as required. In January 2024, she allegedly registered to vote in federal elections using an online system that required her to certify U.S. citizenship—status she did not possess. The fraudulent voter registration was reportedly submitted via a community college’s computer network.
Despite not being a U.S. citizen, Wallace cast a ballot in the August 2024 federal primary, which included the election of a U.S. President. Her arrest was executed by agents from the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
If convicted, Wallace could face a prison sentence of up to five years and deportation from the United States. The investigation was conducted by HSI’s Tampa Field Division, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Election Crime Unit, and supported by several local and state agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Welch is leading the prosecution. This case is part of the broader Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational crime.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The prosecution must establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt during the trial.
For further information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit their official website.
