NEWARK, N.J. — Two Passaic County men have been charged with voting in federal elections while they were not U.S. citizens and later denying it on their applications for citizenship, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced Thursday.
Morzetta, 72, an Italian national who lives in North Haledon, and Antonio Mitchell, 54, a Jamaican national who lives in Paterson, were each charged in separate criminal complaints with voting by a noncitizen in a federal election and unlawfully attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said. The release identified Morzetta by last name only.
Mitchell also faces an additional count of making false statements while applying for citizenship.
Mitchell made his initial appearance Oct. 28 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in federal court in Newark. Morzetta appeared before Wettre on Thursday.
According to court documents and statements made in court, both men falsely certified on voter registration forms that they were U.S. citizens. Only citizens may register and vote in federal elections.
Prosecutors said Morzetta voted in person in the November 2024 general election and Mitchell voted in person in the 2022 general election. Both elections included candidates for federal office.
Morzetta entered the United States from Italy under a P21 classification as the spouse of a noncitizen resident, and Mitchell entered from Jamaica on a B-2 visa, according to the release. Neither was a citizen when they allegedly voted.
Each man later applied for naturalization by filing an N-400 form, which requires applicants to swear under penalty of perjury that their answers are true. Both allegedly claimed on the forms that they had never registered to vote or voted in a federal election. Mitchell also allegedly denied under oath during an interview with an immigration services officer that he had registered or voted.
The voting charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. The charge of unlawfully attempting to obtain citizenship carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The false statements charge carries up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Frazer credited the FBI’s Newark office, under Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations, under Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services with the investigation. The case was brought through the office’s Election Integrity Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark McCarren and Michael K. O’Leary of the Special Prosecutions Division are handling the case. Assistant Federal Public Defender Patrick McMahon is listed as defense counsel.
The charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This report is based on information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office press release
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