The manager of a Northern Virginia DMV office discovered an easy way to provide some extra perks to herself and her employees when she began doling out driver's licenses to illegal immigrants in exchange for donuts and discounts on car repairs.
Unfortunately for her, the arrangement didn’t last. An internal investigation sparked by a DMV crackdown on fraud nabbed Sally Lynn Craig, 42, on multiple counts of identification fraud, according to officials.
Craig, an employee of the DMV for nearly a decade, had developed a relationship with Rodrigo Guevara that included frequent visits where he provided donuts and pastries to the office staff. In exchange for these tasty visits, and discounts on car repairs, Craig handed out licenses to at least two illegal immigrants associated with Guevara.
The first was a mystery man, referred to in court documents as “E.R.”, who was unable to acquire a license because of his illegal immigrant status. After Craig cleared him and provided a license anyway, Guevara returned weeks later with his brother, also an illegal immigrant. Once again, Craig obliged. The brother failed the driver's exam, so she arranged for a state ID instead, which the brother was able to eventually leverage into a driver’s license.
Amazingly, in both instances a DMV teller objected to the IDs, but was trumped by Craig.
The story only grows more outrageous, because when the DMV eventually caught on, it was discovered that Guevara himself is an illegal, and had obtained his driver’s license by listing the social security number belonging to another person.
These instances of fraud are unbelievably common, given how outrageous they are. In the last few years, there have been similar situations all across the area, including in Springfield, VA and Alexandria. This problem seems to be so widespread that the Virginia DMV established a Zero Fraud Hotline in 2007, and has seen a growing groundswell of response from the community at large.
To combat the growing threat of fraud, the DMV has initiated plans to centralize all state ID production to Danville by midyear 2009. This move will delay the production of driver's licenses, making it unlikely that applicants will be able to apply and receive their licenses the same day.
When it comes to the DMV, what's another delay anway, if it will help prevent fraud.
All we're asking is that they put out some donuts while we wait.
Time to make the licenses!
Related stories:
[+] Former DMV Employee Faces Federal Charges for Fake Licenses
[+] State of Virginia sues woman over car crash ... at the DMV!
[+] North Carolina, WTF?
[+] NY DMV Recalls "Get Osama" License Plates
More on this story: http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/crime/31186774.html
The number for driver's license or ID fraud in Virginia is: 1-877-ZERO-FRAUD (1-877-937-6372)
