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COMMERCE, Calif. (KABC) — A 72-year-old Commerce man accused by federal authorities of illegally registering to vote spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday about his arrest and roughly 10-hour detention.
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Omar Muñoz, one of more than two dozen people arrested in the federal case, told Eyewitness News he was taken into custody Monday near the bench where he drinks coffee every morning.
The Department of Justice is accusing Muñoz of fraudulently registering to vote and voting in several elections. While he didn’t directly address those allegations while speaking with Eyewitness News, he criticized the manner in which he was arrested.
He recalled asking the agents for identification when they showed up at his door.
“They said, ‘Open the door or we break it down, and it’ll be bad for you,'” Muñoz said.
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Muñoz said he suffers from several medical conditions, including a heart murmur, diabetes and neuropathy. He also said he has undergone surgeries on his neck, shoulder and knee. According to Muñoz, he repeatedly informed federal agents that he is a fall risk.
“I said, ‘I have six surgeries. I’m a fall risk,’ and he didn’t care,” Muñoz said.
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Muñoz said he was detained for about 10 hours in a 5-by-8-foot room with a toilet and about 10 other individuals – handcuffed, chained at the stomach and legs.
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“At that time, I got one bottle of water, one apple and a little, I don’t know cookie, candy bar,” Muñoz said. “That’s what I ate all day.”
He also questioned the amount of government resources used in the operation and wondered how much it cost taxpayers.
“I believe one car could’ve come here and arrested me, instead of a whole bunch of people. Then when I heard the news, and I listened to it, I said this is not about me. This is a fight between Trump and the Democrats,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz said he was in the process of applying to become a U.S. citizen. The Department of Justice accuses him of falsely stating under oath during that application that he never claimed to be a U.S. citizen. His first court date is set for November.
Federal authorities have accused more than two dozen people of illegally registering to vote. Muñoz is among those facing allegations in the case.
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