Group Tries To Illegally Obtain Licenses
3 Brazilians Busted When Agent Recognizes Man Getting Documents
POSTED: 3:28 pm MDT September 5, 2010
UPDATED: 5:16 pm MDT September 5, 2010
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A group of Brazilians has been busted for trying to get New Mexico driver's licenses illegally.

State police moved in on the group of men after a Motor Vehicle Division worker noticed one of the suspects had been there before.

The three Brazilian men face serious charges after state police and the state's tax fraud investigators division busted the men at the MVD downtown on Friday.

"One of the investigators down there with the Office of Inspector General recognized an individual who had been in there numerous times over the last year," Major Pete Kassetas said.

Kassetas said that man is Christian Sobral.

Action 7 News has learned Sobral tried to get New Mexico driver's licenses for the other two men.

The two younger Brazilians had traveled from New Jersey to New Mexico to try to get the licenses illegally and had paid Sobral thousands of dollars.

What happened in New Mexico reflects an issue that affects the whole country. State police said if these men had been able to New Mexican driver's licenses, then they could have used those licenses to get licenses in any state across the country.

State police said Sobral forged a lease document that made it look like the men lived in Albuquerque and managed to obtain utility bills with both Brazilians' names on them.

"They certainly put some thought behind it. I don't think it was the first time it was attempted or probably completed," Kassetas said.

But when the agent recognized Sobral, he realized something wasn't right.

"Hats off to the agent. He did a great job of recognizing the person that had been in there many times and then really scrutinizing the documentation," Kassetas said.

In July, police arrested three Polish illegal immigrants who were trying to obtain driver's licenses illegally in Albuquerque.

State police also said they dealt with a similar case last week.

The three Brazilian men face charges ranging from conspiracy to forgery.

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