FBI arrests alleged ballot-harvesting scheme leader James Brass in early-morning raid

Federal authorities arrested James Brass, a 47-year-old who ran a ballot-harvesting operation from his company Pinnacle Brass, in Victorville, San Bernardino County, just after 5 a.m. Brass is accused of paying a few dollars to homeless individuals on Skid Row to sign petition sheets using the stolen identities of registered voters. The FBI, monitoring his residence, followed him to a nearby gas station before taking him into custody without incident.

Two co-defendants, 49-year-old Courtney Price of Jacksonville, Florida, and 33-year-old Jateisha Herron of Boron, California, are also charged with conspiracy and identity fraud. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the case reflects a broader effort to combat election fraud that exploits vulnerable populations. The indictment does not specify how many fraudulent signatures were collected or which measures were targeted, though prosecutors allege at least $41,000 was spent on the scheme.