Immigrant Rights Activist Faces Election Fraud Charge
Thursday, Jun 25, 2009 | Updated 11:02 AM PDT
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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 27: Nativo Lopez, of Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, and president of the Mexican American Political Association (Mexican National Brotherhood) at a rally for improved worker benefits at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on April 27, 2006 (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
An outspoken immigrant rights activist has been charged with election fraud for allegedly registering to vote in Los Angeles County when he did not live there.
District attorney's office spokeswoman Jane Robison says Thursday that Nativo Lopez has been charged with voter registration fraud, filing false documents, perjury and fraudulent voting.
The California secretary of state's office says Lopez leased commercial space in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood and registered to vote there in 2006 even though he lived with his family in Orange County.
Lopez is national director of Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana. He declined to comment on the charges Thursday.
Lopez was formerly a schools trustee in Santa Ana but was recalled in 2003 amid a heated debate over bilingual education.
He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Bond was set at $10,000, according to the LA Times.
