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Latinos in DMV Arrested
Don Gabacho wrote: > Driver's license fraud alleged > DMV office manager and wife charged with selling phony licenses > By Paul Bradley > The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch, July 13, 2005 > http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783806416&path=!news&s=104 5855934842 > > > ALEXANDRIA -- The manager of a DMV office in Springfield and his wife > were arrested yesterday on charges they sold phony Virginia driver's > licenses for up to $3,500 each to illegal immigrants. > > The office is in Springfield Mall, about 3 miles from the Department of > Motor Vehicles office in Franconia, where seven of the Sept. 11 > hijackers obtained bogus Virginia ID cards. > > Francisco J. Martinez, 57, and Miriam Martinez, 56, both of Stafford, > each were arrested on federal charges of conspiracy to commit document > fraud, a crime that carries a potential penalty of 15 years in prison > and a fine of up to $250,000. > > Illegal immigrant held > > Also arrested yesterday was Daniel Jose Guardia Lopez, 25, an illegal > immigrant from Bolivia now living in Alexandria. > > According to court papers, Lopez confessed to his role in the phony > document scheme and implicated the Martinez couple in it. Lopez told > authorities he found clients -- most illegal immigrants from his native > Bolivia -- for the scheme, collecting $500 for each customer he brought > to the Martinez couple. > > In all, court papers said, Francisco and Miriam Martinez provided bogus > licenses to about 50 people between January 2001 and this month. The > final two transactions, however, involved undercover police officers, > resulting in yesterday's arrests. > > Court papers said Martinez has worked for the DMV since 1990 and has > managed the DMV office in Springfield Mall since April 2001. His wife > worked as a DMV clerk in Tysons Corner from 1996 to 1998 and for a > short time in 2003. > > 'This agency will not tolerate illegal activity in any of our offices,' > said DMV Commissioner D.B. Smit. > > 'Critical' to commerce > > U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty called the alleged conduct of the > Martinezes 'reprehensible.' > > 'We must aggressively safeguard our identification systems. The > integrity of state driver's licenses is critical to our commerce as > well as our national security.' > > According to court papers, applicants would pay a fee of between $2,000 > and $3,500 and then be directed to go to the DMV office. > > When the applicant's name was called, Francisco Martinez would issue a > driver's license without verifying required information, court papers > said. Most of the time, the immigrant wouldn't even have to fill out an > application. > > Martinez also falsely certified that the applicant had surrendered a > license from another state, court papers said. The applicant would then > be photographed and be given a license. > > The DMV and the General Assembly have been working on tightening > licensing procedures ever since it was learned that seven of the Sept. > 11 hijackers had phony Virginia identification cards. Applicants for > drivers licenses must now provide two forms of identification: proof of > legal residence in the state and proof of Social Security number. > > McNulty said this case shows the steps are having an impact. > > 'A few years ago, one could fraudulently obtain a driver's license for > about $100,' he said. > > 'It now takes up to $3,500 and the involvement of a corrupt clerk. This > suggests our enforcement efforts with DMV are making fraud more > difficult, riskier and more costly.' Why are these greasers in management positions? John |
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