- Raids & Arrests
- Nov 5, 2026
California Man ARRESTED As Feds Say He PAID Skid Row Homeless To Sign Voters' Names
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles say a Victorville man handed out the names and addresses of registered California voters on Skid Row, and paid homeless people to copy those names onto ballot initiative petitions and sign them. James Brass and two petition circulators have been charged with conspiracy to commit identity fraud. Brass faces two counts, each carrying up to five years in federal prison. Prosecutors say Brass received about $41,600 from a petition management company, and that some of the petitions his team worked on made it onto the ballot.
News clips are used for commentary, criticism and reporting under fair use. Aerial footage licensed from Envato.
Presumption of innocence
How California ballot initiatives qualify, and why campaigns pay by the signature What the federal indictment says happened on Skid Row The San Francisco "$5 a signature" video and the state investigation The 2018 Skid Row case that used the same method How petition signatures are checked, and how to report your name being misused All three defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. No campaign has been accused of wrongdoing.
Sources
U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California (Sept. 10, 2026) · California Secretary of State · ABC7 Los Angeles · NBC4 Los Angeles · FOX 11 · KCRA 3 · ABC7 San Francisco.
