Thread: DMV-ICE Outreach Campaign

DMV-ICE Outreach Campaign

Transcript:

0:00MUSIC
0:08REPORTER: In some cases, the message arrived with handcuffs.
0:11OFFICER: Do you have any weapons on you?
0:13In Florida, Michigan, and Maryland an ongoing investigation has led to arrests.
0:19This Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) employee was arrested on the job for selling genuine driver's licenses through fraudulent means.
0:26Her charges carry mandatory prison time. Up to five years on the first offense, and the forfeiture of all personal assets.
0:34The legal ramifications of this crime have not only ruined her life, but her actions have far reaching consequences to the security of our nation.
0:44The 19 hijackers involved in the 9/11 attacks were able to obtain a total of 26 state-issued DMV identification documents.
0:52By acquiring these documents, these individuals were able to live amongst us, avoid suspicion, mask their places of residence and hide their motives.
1:03These licenses enabled them to enroll in flight schools, purchase airline tickets, and board airplanes.
1:11When DMV employees abuse their position by issuing or selling genuine driver's licenses through fraudulent means, it puts us all at risk and jeopardizes our nation's security.
1:23AGENT: I'm good. This is Agent MacDonald.
1:25In Illinois, a federal investigation into financial bribes for driver's licenses led to dozens of convictions and the indictment of former Gov. George Ryan on racketeering and other charges.
1:38And In Virginia, more than 200 people lost their licenses because of fraud committed by a former DMV worker who sold licenses for as much as $2,500 each.
1:51Former DMV employee, Terrell Smith knows the consequences of abusing the power of his position all to well.
1:58Smith was convicted of selling hundreds of fraudulent driver's licenses while employed by the DMV.
2:04It started out just doing, just passing them on the learners permit. And then as it went along the whole license issue just became more easier instead of just going...
2:18You know it was smaller money doing the permits, and a lot harder to keep track.
2:26When Smith graduated from learner's permits to licenses, he began selling genuine Driver's Licenses and Commercial Driver's Licenses to criminals involved in narcotics, firearms distribution, and murder.
2:38Not only did Smith's actions threaten national security and destroy his career, but what he did not realize is there is no honor among thieves, because the criminals he was dealing with began to threaten his life.
2:52I should have said no, and it wouldn't have been a whole big ordeal, the whole feelings of, you know...
3:03I am going to live the next day? Are they going to follow me home? I had to go into hiding.
3:10ANNOUNCMENT: Now Serving A101 at Counter Number 9
3:16Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as ICE, requested assistance from the DMV to determine the amount of fraudulent documents that were being issued by Smith.
3:26ICE also installed surveillance equipment above Smith's workstation to further monitor the transactions he conducted.
3:34ICE and DMV investigators determined that Smith issued in excess of 200 fraudulent Driver's Licenses and Commercial Driver's Licenses,
3:43and the indicators of fraud included false passports, birth certificates, social security numbers and other biographical data entered on applications by Smith.
3:53It was pretty much that they had everything. Every license that I made, to video tapes to...
4:06I guess they might have had phone conversations. I don't know that part but, they had everything.4:17The investigation led to Smith's confession. Smith began participating in the ongoing case.
4:22The investigation led to Smith's confession. Smith began participating in the on-going case. He identified co-conspirators, and was forced to surrender his illicit proceeds that were in excess of 40,000 dollars.
4:30I have a lot of regrets. My family, I still see sometimes that even though they supported me through all of this, I still see some type of disappointment from them.
4:41Ah, my job security, like my jobs are very limited to what I can do.4:48OFF CAMERA: Because you have a criminal record.
4:52Yes.
4:57Ah, I always wanted to be in law enforcement since I was young, and now that's pretty much out the window.
5:04And the road that, the higher road that I wanted to take for myself I can't take.
5:12Can I help the next person please?
5:14A state driver's license is one of the most acceptable forms of identification for proof of legal residency and a person's true identity.
5:21Stringent standards have been put in place across the country on the forms of identification that will be accepted to receive a legal state driver's license or identification card.
5:32These restrictions have made it more difficult for terrorist and other criminals to obtain genuine state driver's licenses or identification cards
5:40A way around the restrictions is to approach motor vehicle employees with offers of financial gain to enter into illegal conspiracies with their criminal networks.
5:49In fact, in recent years, a number of DMV employees have willingly entered into illegal scams with criminal networks to engineer genuine driver's licenses through fraud for illicit profit.
6:01Would you compromise your integrity for a fee? April Bell did. She worked for the DMV for three years before she entered into an illegal conspiracy to provide genuine driver's licenses to criminals.
6:14She had already left the department and was working for another employer for a year before her crime caught up with her.
6:20The day that I was indicted was on September 4th, and my father went with me.
6:28And the thing that got me was they had to put me in hand cuffs. You know I had to walk in the court room with my father looking at me
6:37and the only thing I could do is just put my head down because I knew that I was embarrassing to him. I wouldn't want anyone to feel that way. Nobody.
6:52A grand jury indicted an MVA worker today for making fake driver's licenses.
6:57Investigators say 35-year old April Bell of Parkville worked at the MVA branch at Mondawmin Mall between July of '07 and January of '08.
7:05They say she made 20 fake licenses, at least...
7:08This is not a victimless crime. You will be caught, and this criminal act will follow you for the rest of your life.
7:15The licenses you sell give terrorist and other criminals the ability to obtain employment and gain access to American technology at high tech companies,
7:25or critical infrastructure sites such as military bases, shipping ports, or airports.
7:31And the recipients of these licenses can open bank accounts to funnel illicit funds, both at home and abroad.
7:38You are giving a terrorist or other criminal the ability to commit more crimes or threaten our nation's security,
7:45because that driver's license will allow them to move freely throughout the United States.
7:50When I went to court I had so many people there. My daughter was there and the only thing that she could do was just put her head down.
7:58And I feel like I really, I disappointed them. And that's something that I'm going to have to live with for the rest of my life,
8:10because this, what I did is going to stick with me for the rest of my life. And I'm, I'm so sorry that I did it.
8:18And I also regret, just everything. If I could go back, I wouldn't do it.
8:27The unlawful distribution of driver's licenses and identification cards damages the integrity of the DMV process and can cause irreparable harm to the nation's infrastructure.
8:38These are serious crimes and you will suffer serious consequences, including prison time, loss of your job and career, and forfeiture penalties.
8:47They're going to catch you one way or another. It's going to get caught. It's going to be caught.
8:53I was thinking I was getting away with it a year and half into it, and then boom it's over.
9:01It's over, your career, whatever career opportunities that you wanted for yourself you're not going to get.
9:11More than 200 forms of state driver's licenses are currently in circulation in the United States.
9:17Driver's license identity theft is often categorized as the crime that keeps on giving, because victims are victimized over and over again.
9:26Global criminal enterprises, like terrorists, gangs and other unlawful organizations rely upon corrupt individuals to perpetrate their crimes.
9:36An insecure licensing system is vulnerable to misuse and abuse by criminals.
9:42Remember you hold a position of authority and trust at the DMV, and your actions can seriously affect our national security and adversely impact our economy.
9:52Be alert to scams and criminal intent. If you are aware of illicit activity, report it. If you are approached by someone with the intent to commit these crimes, report it.
10:04Report your observations of fraud directly to the local DMV fraud liaison. You can also call ICE at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or go to ICE.gov to report fraud.
10:15 Do the right thing - report it.
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VIDEO @

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Do the right thing - report it.


The sqeaky wheel gets the oil. Report, report and report again and again and again. Bother the authorities and lawmakers until they get the message.