Thread: Driving instructor, clerk charged in license scam

Driving instructor, clerk charged in license scam

krmg.com
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
The Associated Press
Posted: 4:18 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011
Updated: 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011

HONOLULU —

A Honolulu driving instructor and a motor vehicles clerk conspired to sell Hawaii driver's licenses to illegal immigrants from South Korea, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging In Chan Park, 53, a Honolulu driving instructor, and Paige Teruya, 47, a DMV clerk, with criminal conspiracy and fraud.

Park, who has been an instructor for about 20 years, is accused of providing customers' biographical information to Teruya, who produced licenses for them, according to the indictment filed Wednesday in Honolulu.

"Teruya would then contact Park and instruct him on when to bring in his clients to the DMV, which would be when she is assigned at the photo booth section," the indictment said. Once the licenses were obtained, payment would be made to Park, who gave money to Teruya, the indictment said.

Their arrests were possible because of two South Korean citizens acting as government informants who paid $2,000 each for a license and $5,000 for a license with a Social Security card, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Song.

Teruya and Park could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

City spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy said she couldn't comment because of the criminal investigation. Teruya has worked for the driver's licensing branch of the Division of Motor Vehicles, Licensing and Permits since Aug. 1, 2006, McCoy said.

It was unknown how many other licenses were sold, Song said, and what the Korean customers were using them for.

The United States has a tourist visa waiver program for the Republic of Korea, which allows Korean citizens to remain in the country for no more than 90 days. Those who overstay their visas are subject to deportation.

"This type of fraud poses a serious security vulnerability, one that often contributes to a host of other crimes — including identity theft and financial fraud," said Florence Nakakuni, U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii.

Park and Teruya are scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 22. If convicted, they face a possible sentence of up to five years on the conspiracy charge and up to 15 years on the other charges.

http://www.krmg.com/ap/ap/crime/driving ... cam/nFgbz/

good
this happen in every state
No amnesty

Will we ever know who these invaders are till we get there DNA?

I.C.E. News Release

November 17, 2011
Honolulu, HI

Honolulu driver's license clerk and driving instructor charged in document fraud scheme

HONOLULU — A clerk at the Honolulu Driver's License Department and a local driving instructor have been indicted on federal fraud charges stemming from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into allegations they sold legitimate Hawaii driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

Paige Teruya, 47, a clerk at the Dillingham office of the Honolulu Driver's License Department, and Chan Park, 53, a Honolulu driving instructor, are named in a multi-count indictment handed down by a grand jury Wednesday.

The indictment accuses Park and Teruya of conspiring to produce Hawaii driver's licenses without legal authority. The indictment also charges both defendants with producing Hawaii driver's licenses without legal authority on three separate occasions.

According to U.S. Attorney Florence T. Nakakuni, the indictment alleges that for a fee, Park would agree to provide Hawaii driver's licenses to foreign citizens who were in the United States illegally and did not qualify for a license. The indictment further alleges Park provided information to Teruya, who downloaded it into the state system to produce the licenses.

"Targeting schemes like this that enable individuals who are not in this country lawfully to obtain legitimate U.S. identity documents is a top enforcement priority for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)," said Wayne Wills, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Hawaii. "This type of fraud poses a serious security vulnerability, one that often contributes to a host of other crimes – including identity theft and financial fraud. HSI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to detect, investigate and dismantle this type of activity."

If convicted of the charges, Park and Teruya face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 15 years on the other three charges, plus possible fines of up to $250,000.

Both defendants are scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 22 before Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi. An indictment is only an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

ICE HSI received substantial assistance with the investigation from the Secret Service and the Honolulu Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Song is prosecuting the case.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1111/1 ... nolulu.htm

Originally Posted by TakingBackSoCal

Will we ever know who these invaders are till we get there DNA?

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