Duval County Election Integrity Probe Leads to Arrest of Jacksonville Man for Illegal Non-Citizen Voting

Executive Overview

An intensive investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Florida Department of State’s Office of Election Crimes and Security (OECS) has culminated in the arrest of a Jacksonville resident accused of illegally voting in the 2024 General Election. Antonio Padrigan, 51, a lawful permanent resident originally from Mexico, was taken into custody by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) on October 6, 2025, following the issuance of an active felony warrant.

Padrigan faces two separate third-degree felony charges under Florida law:

1. Unqualified non-citizen elector willfully voting (violating Florida Statute § 104.15)
2. False affirmation of oath (violating Florida Statute § 104.011)

The case underscores the ongoing, highly polarized national and state-level debates surrounding voter eligibility, non-citizen registration, and the efficacy of state-level election audits. Under the administration of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has positioned itself at the forefront of aggressive election law enforcement, establishing specialized units designed to detect and prosecute voter discrepancies.

This detailed investigative report explores the chronological sequence of events leading to Padrigan’s arrest, the administrative mechanisms that flagged his ineligible status, the legal frameworks governing non-citizen voting in Florida, and the severe immigration and criminal consequences now facing the accused.

Detailed Chronology

The investigative timeline reveals a multi-month process involving local, state, and federal databases, administrative warnings, and direct law enforcement intervention.

[Nov 5, 2024]  -->  [Jan 30, 2025]  -->  [Apr 17, 2025]  -->  [Jul 30, 2025]  -->  [Aug 28, 2025]  -->  [Oct 6, 2025]
Registers &         1st Notice Sent      2nd Notice/          OECS Files           USCIS Confirms       Warrant Served/
Votes (Precinct     by Duval Supervisor  Removal from         Complaint            Non-Citizen          Padrigan
410, 2:20 PM)       of Elections         Voter Rolls          with FDLE            Status               Arrested

November 5, 2024: Election Day Registration and Balloting

On the day of the 2024 General Election, Antonio Padrigan completed a Florida Voter Registration Application. On the registration form, Padrigan checked the box affirming that he was a citizen of the United States, signing the oath under penalty of perjury.

Hours later, at approximately 2:20 p.m., Padrigan cast a ballot at Duval County Precinct 410, located at St. Barnabas Anglican Church on St. Johns Bluff Road in Jacksonville.

January 30, 2025: Initial Administrative Detection

Following routine post-election audits and database cross-referencing, the Duval County Supervisor of Elections identified a discrepancy regarding Padrigan’s citizenship status. The Supervisor’s office dispatched a certified letter to Padrigan’s residence, notifying him that official records indicated he was a non-U.S. citizen and advising him that he faced removal from the voter registration rolls unless he could provide proof of citizenship. Padrigan did not respond to this initial inquiry.

April 17, 2025: Second Notice and Formal Roll Removal

After the statutory waiting period elapsed without a response from the household, the Duval County Supervisor of Elections issued a second certified letter. This correspondence formally notified Padrigan that his name was being removed from the active voter registration rolls of Florida due to his failure to substantiate his citizenship status.

July 30, 2025: State-Level Criminal Referral

The Florida Department of State’s Office of Election Crimes and Security (OECS), having reviewed the administrative removal, forwarded a formal criminal complaint to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The complaint alleged that a non-citizen had willfully registered and cast an illegal ballot in Duval County.

August 28, 2025: Federal and State Database Verification

FDLE investigators sought definitive confirmation of Padrigan’s immigration status. On August 28, the agency received a formal "Certificate of Nonexistence of Record" from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This federal document certified that there was no record of Padrigan ever obtaining U.S. citizenship.

The federal response provided Padrigan’s active alien file number (A-number) and confirmed his place of birth as Mexico. These details matched records held within the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) database, which documented his status as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

August 31, 2025: In-Person Attempt and Telephonic Confession

FDLE special agents attempted to conduct an in-person interview at Padrigan’s Jacksonville residence but were unsuccessful. Shortly thereafter, Padrigan initiated a telephone call to an FDLE special agent supervisor.

During this recorded telephonic interview, Padrigan admitted that he was not a United States citizen, explaining that he was a lawful permanent resident who had resided in the country since arriving from Mexico at the age of four or five. Crucially, Padrigan admitted to investigators that he had voted in the 2024 General Election, acknowledged that he was aware he was ineligible to do so, and revealed that he had previously declined opportunities to apply for naturalized U.S. citizenship.

September 23 – October 6, 2025: Warrant Issuance and Arrest

Based on the database matches and Padrigan’s self-incriminating statements, an FDLE investigator secured an arrest warrant signed by a Duval County Circuit Court judge on September 23. On October 6, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office executed the warrant at Padrigan’s home, arresting him without incident and booking him into the Duval County Jail.

Supporting Context & Metrics

The arrest of Antonio Padrigan occurs within a broader legislative and political environment characterized by heightened scrutiny of voter registration lists and election administration.

Florida’s Election Security Infrastructure

In 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 524, which established the Office of Election Crimes and Security under the Department of State. This specialized agency is tasked with investigating allegations of voter fraud, registration irregularities, and campaign finance violations.

The state has also increased coordination between local Supervisors of Elections, the FLHSMV, and the FDLE to routinely run cross-checks of voter rolls against DMV databases that track non-citizen driver’s licenses.

Statutory Penalties Under Florida Law

In Florida, registering to vote or casting a ballot as a non-citizen is prosecuted with significant severity. Padrigan faces two distinct third-degree felonies:

• Florida Statute § 104.15 (Unqualified Elector Willfully Voting): Applies to any person who, knowing they are not a qualified elector, willfully votes at any election.
• Florida Statute § 104.011 (False Affirmation): Applies to anyone who willfully makes a false oath or affirmation in connection with or before any election.

In Florida, a third-degree felony carries a maximum penalty of:

• Up to 5 years in state prison per count.
• A fine of up to $5,000 per count.
• Up to 5 years of probation.

Official Statements and Investigative Findings

The arrest warrant affidavit details the investigative findings that led state authorities to pursue felony prosecution rather than simple administrative removal.

According to the FDLE investigative report, the evidence against Padrigan was compounded by his direct statements to law enforcement. A key excerpt from the warrant highlights the willful nature of the alleged offense:

"During the telephonic interview, the suspect openly acknowledged his status as a lawful permanent resident and confirmed he did not hold U.S. citizenship. When questioned regarding the November 5, 2024, transaction, the suspect admitted to registering and voting, stating he understood he was not legally permitted to participate in the election."

Election officials have emphasized that the integrity of the voting process relies on the truthfulness of the voter’s oath. Because the voter registration application relies on self-attestation at the point of service, administrative audits are designed as a secondary safety net to catch discrepancies post-facto.

Future Outlook

Legal and Judicial Proceedings

Following his arrest on October 6, Padrigan was booked into the Duval County Jail. A judge set his bond at $15,006 ($10,003 for the illegal voting charge and $5,003 for the false affirmation charge).

As a mandatory condition of his release on bond, Padrigan was ordered to surrender his passport and any active travel documents to prevent him from leaving the jurisdiction. He is currently awaiting arraignment in the Duval County Circuit Court, where he is expected to enter a plea.

Severe Immigration Consequences

While the state-level criminal penalties are severe, Padrigan faces equally devastating consequences under federal immigration law. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), a non-citizen—including a lawful permanent resident (green card holder)—who falsely claims U.S. citizenship or votes in a federal, state, or local election in violation of the law is subject to:

• Mandatory Deportability: Under INA § 237(a)(6), any alien who has voted in violation of any federal, state, or local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation is deportable.
• Permanent Inadmissibility: Under INA § 212(a)(6)(C)(ii), a false representation of U.S. citizenship for any benefit under federal or state law carries a permanent lifetime bar to naturalization, with virtually no waivers available for most permanent residents.

Consequently, even if Padrigan avoids maximum prison time through a plea agreement, any conviction or formal admission of illegal voting will likely trigger federal removal proceedings, ending his legal residency in the United States.

Systemic and Political Implications

The case is expected to be utilized by proponents of stricter voter identification and registration laws as proof that non-citizens do occasionally register and vote in major elections. Conversely, voting rights advocates are likely to argue that the case demonstrates that existing safety nets and post-election audits are functioning as intended to identify and remove ineligible voters, and that such instances remain statistically rare relative to the millions of ballots cast in Florida.

As Florida prepares for future municipal and state-level election cycles, the coordination between the FDLE, local election supervisors, and federal agencies like USCIS is expected to intensify, with automated database checks occurring closer to the point of registration to prevent ineligible ballots from being cast in the first place.