A San Jose man charged by federal prosecutors Monday with illegally voting in the 2024 election says he has never voted - and learned of the charges when a reporter called him.

David Shapiro, 41, a lawful permanent resident from the country of Georgia, is charged with voting as a noncitizen, attempting to obtain naturalization unlawfully and making a false statement under oath relating to naturalization, according to the Justice Department.


Reached by phone Monday, Shapiro said he had been unaware of the charges and denied ever voting.

 How could I even be voting?  he told the Bay Area News Group.  I'm not even a citizen. 

Charging documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California indicate that Shapiro checked boxes declaring he was not a citizen on driver's license and identification card applications in 2019 and 2021.

On or around Nov. 5, 2024, however, prosecutors allege Shapiro submitted a voter declaration form on which he checked a box declaring himself a U.S. citizen and subsequently cast a ballot in the general election. Nearly two months later, on Dec. 26, 2024, Shapiro submitted another driver's license and identification card application on which he indicated he was not a U.S. citizen.

In his naturalization application, submitted on or around Nov. 24, 2024, Shapiro answered  no  to questions asking whether he had ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen, registered to vote or voted in an election, according to the charging documents.

Shapiro said he moved to the United States in 2018 and had his naturalization interview last month.

 I have no idea what to say,  he said of the charges.  I've never dealt with the law. I'm shocked. I don't even know what is my next move. 

The prosecutor handling the case did not immediately respond to questions about the specific voter declaration form cited in the complaint and the evidence supporting the allegation that Shapiro cast a ballot.

Michael Borja, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara Co

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