TUCSON – Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that both 25-year-old Michael Damian Herrera, of Tucson, and 29-year-old Shadae Alexis Smith, of Tucson, have each been indicted on one count of False Registration and one count of Illegal Voting, for allegedly illegally registering to vote and casting a vote in the 2020 General Election while they were inmates at the Pima County Jail.
Herrera's indictment alleges that he falsely completed a voter registration form indicating that he had not been convicted of a felony or that his rights had been restored. Herrera, however, had previously been convicted of three felony offenses and had not had his rights restored since his most recent conviction in 2018. Herrera is being held in the Pima County Jail in lieu of a $10,000 bond. Herrera was arraigned in Pima County Superior Court on October 7, 2021. Herrera's next court date is a status conference on February 22, 2022.
Smith's indictment alleges that she falsely completed a voter registration form indicating she had not been convicted of a felony or that her rights had not been restored. Smith, however, had previously been convicted of two felony offenses and had not had her rights restored since her most recent conviction in 2010. Smith was transported from the Arizona Department of Corrections where she was serving an unrelated sentence and is currently being held in the Pima County Jail in lieu of a $1,000 bond. Smith's next court date is a pre-trial conference on December 1, 2021.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Lawson is prosecuting the cases.
This case was investigated and is being prosecuted by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office (AGO) Election Integrity Unit (EIU).
A copy of Herrera's indictment is available.
A copy of Smith's indictment is available.
Background
Today's announced indictments are in addition to other recent indictments secured by the AGO's EIU involving Pima County inmates who allegedly illegally registered and voted in the 2020 General Election.