Thread: Former DMV worker convicted in illegal license scam

http://www.newstimes.com/news/updates.php?id=1025691

Former DMV worker convicted in illegal license scam

BRIDGEPORT (AP) - A former examiner for state Department of Motor Vehicles has been convicted of 38 counts linked to selling hundreds of driver's licenses to illegal aliens and felons.

Jannette Rodriguez-Roman, 34, of Waterbury, was accused of violating the state Corrupt Organizations Racketeering Act and multiple counts of bribery, bribe receiving, conspiracy to commit bribe receiving and second-degree forgery.

She's the fifth former Bridgeport DMV worker to be prosecuted in the scheme to sell thousands of illegal licenses, but the first to go to trial. The other four have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.

The alleged ringleaders of the scheme, Venita Bines, of Bridgeport, and Tracy Stevenson-Lucas, of Stratford, are serving 7-year sentences.

Authorities said the defendants sold more than 1,500 licenses and nearly 1,000 Connecticut identification cards between June 2000 and December 2004. The state has recovered only a small portion of the licenses, authorities have said.

Rodriguez-Roman, collapsed into sobs as the verdict was announced Thursday in Bridgeport Superior Court.

"Oh my God! Oh my God, my children, my children," she cried as judicial marshals handcuffed her and led her away.

She faces up to 330 years in prison when she is sentenced Feb. 2.

"Oh my God! Oh my God, my children, my children," she cried as judicial marshals handcuffed her and led her away.


Where was your concern for your kids when you were breaking the law sweetie?
I have zero sympathy for her.

"

Oh my God! Oh my God, my children, my children,"

How about our children, Americas children and citizens ....Jannette?

I was surprised to read someone at the DMV was actually doing something, legal or illegal. What a loser! As sad as it is, it will hopefully wind up better for the kids not to have a law-breaking bad example in their house. 330 years. What does that translate to nowadays? 3 years, 3 months, a couple of days in jail?

330 years ? I could be worse they could sentence her to life waiting in line at the DMV..........

Originally Posted by jimpasz

330 years ? I could be worse they could sentence her to life waiting in line at the DMV..........

Good One!

I hope she gets 330 years. And she should have thought of her children before she aided and abeted hundreds of illegals invading this nation.

Do the crime, do the time.

DMV license scam ends with final defendant
Despite pleas for mercy, judge sentences ex-worker to 10 years
DANIEL TEPFER dtepfer@ctpost.com
Connecticut Post Online
Article Last Updated:

BRIDGEPORT — Convicted of selling driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, former state Department of Motor Vehicles employee Janette Rodriguez-Roman tearfully pleaded on Friday to stay out of prison.
"Please, please send me home, don't send me back to that terrible place, I promise you'll never see me again," she begged Superior Court Judge Lawrence Hauser, tears rolling down her face.

But while Hauser said he appreciated the mother of four's situation, especially her claim that she has done much good for the area's Latino population, he added: "You have also done great damage. You took advantage of their great need for identification and made them pay through the nose for it."

He then sentenced her to 10 years in prison. "You certified for the road people without any idea of their ability to drive," Hauser said.

Following a trial, the 34-year-old Waterbury woman was convicted of violating the Corrupt Organizations and Racketeering Act and 37 counts of bribery, bribe receiving, second-degree forgery and conspiracy. But as she stood in court Friday, Rodriguez-Roman admitted the crimes.

Her lawyer, Robert Serafinowicz, told the judge she only went to trial because a guilty plea to the crimes would have prevented her from adopting a child. As it turned out, the guilty verdict had the same effect.

But Assistant State's Attorney John Malone told the judge he has no sympathy for the defendant.

Malone said the actions of Rodriguez-Roman and other DMV workers in selling licenses cost the state $1 million in damage control and potentially put the safety of the state's residents in jeopardy.

"I can't imagine how a thinking person after 9-11 would conceive of issuing counterfeit licenses after what happened then. All we need is for one to fall into the hands of the wrong person and you have a catastrophe," he said.

Rodriguez-Roman was accused of selling driver's licenses to illegal immigrants between October 2003 and March 18, 2004.

She was one of six former Bridgeport DMV workers arrested in a scheme that sold thousands of driver's licenses that ended up in the pockets of criminals and illegal immigrants nationwide. But she was the only one to go to trial. The others have pleaded guilty and are serving sentences from three to seven years in prison. Hauser sentenced her to a 20-year prison term, suspended after 10 years, and followed by five years of probation.

During the trial, Malone presented 10 illegal immigrants who testified they had been solicited by local barber Hector Portillo, who was acting as a middleman for Rodriguez-Roman. Each said Portillo drove them to the Bridgeport DMV office, where he called Rodriguez-Roman. He then issued each a license application and a printed number and directed them to Rodriguez-Roman's window. They were out within 10 minutes with a shiny new driver's license. Portillo, admitting his role in the crime, testified he took between $2,500 and $3,000 from each person, money he later turned over to Rodriguez-Roman in exchange for a cut.

Malone also presented the defendant's and Portillo's telephone records, which corroborated his claims that he called her before sending each immigrant into the DMV. And her attendance records show she was working on the days of the transactions. Serafinowicz told the judge that in a small way, his client may have actually performed a service to the state because he said her crimes resulted in more state oversight of the DMV that he said was rife with problems.

She's worried about her children??? She wasn't worried about the fact that the fake drivers licence could be going to a terrorist who could kill her children and everybody else! Dumb A$$