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Records: Immigration not factor in Rogers woman's vote case

Source: nwaonline.com

TL;DR

Records show Cecilia Castellanos' illegal voting conviction stemmed from lying about prior felonies on her voter form, not immigration status.
She pleaded guilty to perjury and voter eligibility violation after a tip led to investigation.
Case clarifies state charges focused on felony nondisclosure, countering initial immigration emphasis.

The story at a glance

Court records reviewed by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reveal that Cecilia Castellanos, a 59-year-old Rogers woman from Cuba, faced charges mainly for failing to disclose three prior New York felony convictions on her voter registration, not her noncitizen status. Attorney General Tim Griffin highlighted her immigration issues—including a 1999 removal order—in an October 2025 news conference announcing her arrest alongside two other noncitizens. The article, published April 4, 2026, corrects public perception months after her January 2026 guilty plea and five-year prison sentence.[[1]](https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/apr/04/immigration-wasnt-a-factor-in-rogers-womans)[[2]](https://arkansasadvocate.com/briefs/three-arkansas-residents-arrested-and-charged-with-voting-illegally-last-year)

Key points

Castellanos, a Cuban national, registered to vote and cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election despite not being a U.S. citizen and having prior felonies.
Her perjury charge (Class C felony) came from marking "no" to felony convictions and claiming U.S. citizenship on the form; the other charge was violating election laws (Class D felony).[[3]](https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-arrests-three-noncitizens-who-voted-illegally-in-arkansas)
A tip from the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) prompted the AG's Election Integrity Unit to investigate, leading to her September 30, 2025 arrest.[[4]](https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/jan/16/illegally-voting-in-arkansas-election-nets-cuban)
She pleaded guilty in January 2026 to perjury and voter eligibility violation under a plea deal by her attorney Adam Rose and deputy prosecutor Justin Harper, receiving 5 years in prison with 16 years suspended.
The article stresses records confirm the conviction hinged on felony nondisclosure—"crime related to felony disclosure"—with immigration playing no role in the legal outcome.[[1]](https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/apr/04/immigration-wasnt-a-factor-in-rogers-womans)

Details and context

Castellanos worked at a dental clinic in Springdale. Her case drew attention when Griffin announced arrests of three noncitizens—her, Zlata Risley (Kazakhstan), and Chi Baum (Nigeria)—for 2024 voting violations. While all involved noncitizenship issues, the article notes Castellanos' prior felonies made nondisclosure central; felons cannot vote in Arkansas unless rights restored.

Initial coverage emphasized her pending deportation since 1999 and ICE hold at Benton County Jail. Records later showed prosecutors pursued state charges based on voter form lies, not federal immigration status. She remains barred from future voting attempts.

This fits broader Arkansas efforts post-2024 election, including Griffin's unit pursuing tips amid national voter integrity debates.

Key quotes

"For the public, Cecilia Castellanos' story began Oct. 2 with a news conference held by Attorney General Tim Griffin."[[5]](https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/apr/04/immigration-wasnt-a-factor-in-rogers-womans)

No direct quotes from officials or attorneys on the felony focus in available records.

Why it matters

Voter fraud cases like this test election safeguards in states with strict citizenship and felony rules, balancing integrity against overreach claims. Arkansas residents see enforcement targets lies on registration forms, affecting trust in local polls regardless of immigration. Watch for appeals, deportation proceedings, or similar cases from ongoing AG investigations.[[4]](https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/jan/16/illegally-voting-in-arkansas-election-nets-cuban)