Joseph John Marak, Voting Fraud, Arizona 2022

A Surprise man was sentenced to 30 months of supervised probation and fined $2,400 for voting in six federal elections while falsely certifying he was not a convicted felon.

Joseph John Marak, 62, of Surprise, Arizona, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of Submission of a Materially False Voter Registration Application, a felony offense.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Galati handled the prosecution.

According to the indictment, Marak submitted a voter registration application in which he falsely certified that “I am not a convicted felon.” However, in August 2011, he was convicted of 18 felony counts in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of North Carolina and was sentenced to 72 months in prison.

Marak further admitted that based upon his fraudulent registration, he voted in six federal elections from 2016 to 2020.

“This is the second voter fraud case we’ve charged in the last year, and the first arising out of the 2020 election cycle,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Voting is a crucial civil right, and exercising one’s voice is a key part of a felon’s reentry to society. But there are rules: If you wish to vote in Arizona following a felony conviction, please speak first with your local County Recorder to fully understand the process for restoring your voting rights.”

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Joseph John Marak (62)
Criminal Charges: Submission of a Materially False Voter Registration Application
City and State: Surprise, Arizona
Date: January 2022 (plea), February 2023 (sentencing)
Sentence: 30 months supervised probation, $2,400 fine

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