A man has been arrested over an alleged Skid Row election fraud scheme in which homeless people were paid to sign ballot petitions using the identities of registered California voters, federal prosecutors said.
James Brass, 47, of Victorville, was detained on Thursday, September 10, and is accused of working with two petition collectors, Courtney Price, 49, and Jateisha Herron, 33.
According to the US Department of Justice, the group allegedly obtained details of registered voters from a database between February and August 2026. Brass and Price are then said to have given the information to people on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, who were paid to copy the details and sign ballot initiative petitions in the voters’ names.
Brass and Herron allegedly signed declarations stating that they had personally witnessed the named voters sign the petitions and that the signatures were genuine. Prosecutors claim the documents were subsequently submitted to petition co-ordinators.
Brass is alleged to have received about $41,600 from one petition management company. The petitions were intended to help qualify initiatives for inclusion on California election ballots.
The three defendants face a charge of conspiracy to commit identity fraud in furtherance of a state felony. Brass and Price also face an additional identity fraud charge.
First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said the alleged conduct undermined confidence in the electoral system and that his office would investigate anyone involved in corrupting elections.
Patrick Grandy, the FBI’s assistant director in charge of its Los Angeles field office, said the alleged scheme had sought to undermine the voting process and place an undue burden on taxpayers.
Brass was expected to make his first appearance in federal court in Riverside on Thursday. If convicted, each defendant could face up to five years in prison for each count.
The indictment contains allegations only. All three defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
