Louisville, KY – An indictment was returned by a grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 7, 2026, charging a Canadian Citizen living in Louisville, Kentucky, with illegal voting by an alien in a federal election. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.According to the indictment, Sandra Madeline Watson, 59, on or about November 5, 2024, in Jefferson County, Kentucky, knowing she was not a United States citizen, voted in an election held for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of the President, Vice President, member of the Senate, or member of the House of Representatives.Watson made her initial appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Watson faces a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Source: U.S. Department of Justice