Thread: NC-Illegals part of scheme to obtain hundreds of driver's li

Illegals part of scheme to obtain hundreds of driver's licenses
Comments 22 | Recommend 3
September 15, 2009 7:13 AM
Amanda Memrick

Three Hispanics believed to be here illegally face charges of bribing a Gaston County driver license examiner with $300 to get a driver’s license, according to arrest warrants and affidavits.

DMV inspectors arrested Claudia Morales Rodriguez, 29, and Alfredo Lopez Hernandez, 29, both of Gastonia, and Juan Alberto Goddy Vasquez, 37, of Kings Mountain on charges of attempting to bribe a state driver license examiner to obtain a driver’s license.

All three are believed to be in the country illegally, according to the DMV. They were placed in Gaston County Jail under $10,000 bonds Monday. Their release remains on hold by Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending a review of their immigration status, according to Gaston County Sheriff's Office.

The arrests stem from an investigation of a document lab that had equipment and materials to manufacture counterfeit resident alien cards, Social Security cards, birth certificates and driver licenses from six states, according to a release from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

DMV inspectors arrested Mario Ziranda, 35, and Elvis Sanchez, 28, at their residence at 272 Roberson Lane, Forest City. They face charges of common law forgery, manufacturing North Carolina driver licenses, felony trafficking of identification documents, possession and delivery of cocaine and misuse of vital records.

Searching the Forest City residence revealed ledgers showing hundreds of fake document sales weekly, according to the release. Driver licenses from California, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Ohio and North Carolina were found at the location, along with Social Security cards and a Maryland birth certificate. Investigators also seized $8,000 in cash and 15 grams of cocaine.

Sanchez has no legal United States documentation, according to the release. Both are being held on $75,000 secured bond in Rutherford County Jail.

DMV spokeswoman Marge Howell said she didn’t know how the three suspects in Gaston County were connected to the Rutherford County suspects, but all were part of the same investigation.

“We have had a lot of these things happen, pop up all over the state,â€

[quote]“When they come out here they’re looking for a better life. [b]You can’t fault them for that,â€

Ditto Vortex!! they always have to make excuses for them!

Thank you. I really appreciate these articles that show the depth of illegality attendant to illegal immigration. No....it is not just "people who want to work to support their families." We are dealing with widespread, entrenched criminal enterprises.

The excuses never change, just the faces!