Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Woman accused of using false ID to register to vote

Authorities say a Las Vegas area woman was arrested today on seven felony counts, including two involving voter-registration fraud.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, on Oct. 18, 2011, Biqui Diana Rodriguez Parra presented false identification records — apparently including a Texas driver’s license — to receive a Nevada ID card and register to vote. The woman registered to vote again on Aug. 16, 2012.

Both times, she used the name Mary Lou Aguirre.

Catherine Lu, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Secretary of State's Office, said the woman never voted in an election.

An affidavit accompanying the criminal complaint said that in April of this year, Rodriguez Parra applied for a Nevada driver’s authorization card. She used a Mexican Consular card and a Mexican birth certificate to confirm her identity.

Biometric facial recognition confirmed the woman pictured in the Nevada ID card issued in 2011 to “Mary Lou Aguirre” and the woman who applied for the driver’s authorization card, “Biqui Diana Parra Rodriguez,” were the same person.

A check with the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed a Texas driver’s license that was issued to the real Mary Lou Aguirre expired in 2011 and had not been renewed. Further, the woman pictured on the Texas license did not match the woman pictured on either the Nevada ID card or the driver’s authorization card.

Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller said the case demonstrates the integrity and security of the state’s elections process.

“This incident of voter registration fraud was predicated on identity theft, and multiple state agencies worked together efficiently to investigate the case,” Miller said in a news release announcing the arrest. “Voter registration fraud is not widespread, and we have systems in place to catch those who attempt to commit these unlawful acts. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles spotted a discrepancy in its records and alerted my office to the issue. This is the type of relationship among agencies I hoped to foster when I established the Elections Integrity Task Force.”

Rodriguez Parra is charged in Las Vegas Township Justice Court with seven felony counts, including burglary, fraud in connection with application for license or identification card; and unlawful actions by a person registering to vote.

Miller’s office said Rodriguez Parra was being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $5,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear at 8 a.m. Monday in court for a status check.

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