MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida man has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he faked U.S. citizenship to buy guns and vote in elections.

Fifty-two-year-old Josef Sever pleaded guilty Thursday in Miami federal court. Sever faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 9.

Prosecutors say Sever was born in Austria and is a naturalized Canadian citizen. He has never held U.S. citizenship but has been living in Plantation.

Nevertheless, Sever bought firearms on four occasions in the Miami area and claimed on required forms that he was a U.S. citizen. He also claimed citizenship to obtain a state concealed weapons permit.

Sever registered to vote in Broward County and voted illegally in the 2008 presidential election.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)