A Miami Beach man is accused of voting at least six times since 2001 even though he was not an American citizen.
According to an arrest warrant, James Ross Wightman -- who turns 66 on Jan. 29, 2025 -- was born in Zimbabwe, had a passport from Britain and Northern Ireland issued in 1983, overstayed a six-month U.S. visa in 1989 due to a drug arrest, had a fake Ohio birth certificate, and voted illegally since registering to vote in Miami-Dade County in November 2000.
In court Jan. 25, defense attorney Eduardo Pereira told Wightman to say nothing.
"Judge, if I may briefly address Mr. Wightman and just instruct him not to speak with anyone about the case or with anyone on the telephone," Pereira said.
"Understood," Wightman responded.
Bond was set at $15,000 and Wightman remained in jail days later awaiting his next court appearance scheduled for Feb. 24.
The warrant was issued Jan. 22 and Wightman was arrested at 4:29 a.m. Jan. 24, records show.
He is charged with Voting as an Unqualified Elector in a 2022 Primary; 2022 General Election; 2023 Miami Beach General Election; 2023 Miami Beach Run-Off Election; 2024 Primary; and 2024 General Election, according to the warrant.
A red flag was raised when Wightman's fingerprints on an application for a Transportation Security Administration Pre-Check Identification Card, on Feb. 25, 2019, matched the fingerprints of those given to U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service officers in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan. 20, 1989.
In 2013, Wightman had presented an Ohio birth certificate to renew a Florida Driver's License. Ohio officials confirmed, May 22, 2024, it was a fake.
In November 2000, the warrant states, Wightman checked the "Yes" box on a Florida Voter Registration Application to declare he was an American citizen.
The Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections sent the application to the Florida Secretary of State office in Leon County and Wightman received a voter registration card.
The warrant concludes Wightman continually voted illegally between November 2001 and November 2024.
James Ross Wightman is accused of voting in local, state and federal elections at least six times since 2001 even though he was not an American citizenPhoto: Miami Dade Corrections