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