DALLAS, Texas — A 58-year-old man has been federally charged after allegedly using another person’s identity for years to obtain official documents and vote in an election, authorities announced.
Eliseo Morales-Tapia, a citizen of Mexico residing illegally in the United States, was charged by federal complaint on March 20, 2026, according to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
According to the complaint, Morales-Tapia allegedly assumed the identity of a U.S. citizen from Chicago, Illinois, and used that identity to obtain a Texas driver’s license, Texas identification card, Social Security card, and a United States passport. Authorities said he presented the victim’s birth certificate, Social Security number, and other identifying documents to secure the credentials.
Investigators allege that in October 2025, Morales-Tapia indicated he was a U.S. citizen and opted to register to vote while updating his address associated with the Texas driver’s license obtained under the victim’s name. He is also accused of renewing a U.S. passport in 2025 that had originally been issued in the victim’s name in 2015.
According to the complaint, Morales-Tapia voted in a Tarrant County election on November 5, 2024, using the victim’s identity.
Morales-Tapia made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on March 25, 2026, and remains in federal custody pending further proceedings.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison, including up to five years each on the identity theft and voter fraud charges and up to 10 years on the passport fraud charge.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Dallas Field Office with assistance from multiple agencies, including the Diplomatic Security Service, the IRS, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Frisco Police Department.
