Scituate Police deal with growing immigration problem.
By Kelly Anne Clinton and Mary Jane Hanron
Wicked Local Scituate
Posted Oct 06, 2011 @ 08:55 AM

Scituate — When a Marshfield man was arrested last week and charged with the murder of a 24-year-old woman, the only identification police could find was a Brazilian passport. The man, Marcello Almeida, 41, whose identity is still being confirmed, has no record of entering the country legally.

In the years leading up to this incident Almeida was brought to court by several local police departments on charges of driving unlicensed. In June 2011, Almeida was arrested by Scituate police and pled guilty in Hingham District Court for unlicensed operation and was required to pay $325 in fees.

Scituate Police Lt. Mike Stewart said officers routinely stop cars driven by illegal immigrants with false licenses. Often times the driver presents an international license, something that is not accepted in Massachusetts and can easily be purchased online.

“If officers know it’s a false license then they arrest them. If it’s an international license or a Brazilian license or a license from another country, those hold no weight here. They could be arrested if they are driving to endanger or are in a motor vehicle accident or (officers) take the license, issue a citation, and if no one else in the car has a valid license then they tow the car from underneath them,â€