Noemi Barboza pleaded guilty on Thursday to "a bribery conspiracy charge, admitting that she often drove illegal immigrants to the Fairfax DMV location where an employee would approve their applications for driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and identification cards knowing they could not prove legal presence in the United States." Four people engaged in the scheme from 2007 to 2011. The fourth person has not yet been charged.
by Tony Lee
8 Nov 2013, 4:08 AM PDT
breitbart.com
The illegal immigrants paid Barboza's husband or another person, who then reportedly "split the money with" Maria Cavallaro, a 45-year-old DMV employee. Cavallaro and Barboza’s husband, 42-year-old Jose Calderon, "pleaded guilty to their roles Wednesday, admitting they helped obtain documents for as many as 300 people and netted tens of thousands of dollars for themselves." In Virginia, proof of legal presence in the United States is needed to get a driver's license or a state ID.
On Thursday, Barboza said she got involved "just to help" her husband, but she "acknowledged she benefited from the cash he received." Cavallaro's attorney said she accepted the bribes because "she felt sorry for people."
According to the Washington Post, Cavallaro "was fired from the DMV. Barboza faces up to five years in prison at her Feb. 14 sentencing."
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