Posted: 5:38 pm EDT October 22, 2010
Updated: 6:38 pm EDT October 22, 2010


Court Interpreter Accused Of Selling Fake Docs

MARION COUNTY, Fla. -- Investigators say the Marion County jail had no idea one of its interpreters sold fake drivers licenses for $1,500 a pop in the middle of its courtroom, because she did the deals in Spanish.

Petersen found out they broke the language barrier and caught her.

Milagros Rosa used to come to the jail to work, but earlier this week she spent time in one of the cells.

"Pull her clearance. Not being allowed back into the facility," said Major Paul Laxton of the Marion County jail said.

Laxton is taking a hard line with 59-year-old Rosa, who was a contracted jail interpreter.

"The people she interprets for either speak very little English or none at all," he said.

The Florida Highway Patrol believes Rosa took advantage of that. She and co-defendant Jose Guerra are accused of supplying illegal immigrants with phony documents needed to obtain a driver's license.

Rosa met the immigrants at court hearings at the Marion County jail. Rosa would stand at a podium and speak into the microphone. The suspect would be standing right next to her.

Usually, every seat in the courtroom was filled. But sometimes Rosa and the defendant would be the only ones in the room who could understand Spanish. That is how detectives believe she was able to speak freely about a scheme to sell the counterfeit documents for $1,500 a piece.

Two illegal immigrants told police what happened after they were arrested while trying to get a driver's license. The language barrier in the courtroom leads investigators to believe this could have been going on for some time.

Rosa and Guerra face felony fraud charges. The suspects who bought the counterfeit documents could be dealt with by immigration officials.

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