Indictments: Two Accused of Illegal Immigrant ID Scheme

The Columbus Disptach
April 18, 2012
By John Futty

A former Bureau of Motor Vehicles employee is accused of falsifying records to allow illegal immigrants to obtain state ID cards or driver's licenses.

Betina Young, 43, of 2163 Bancroft St. in the Linden area, was indicted yesterday on five counts of tampering with records.

The Franklin County grand jury also indicted Sekou Bayoh Kpoto, 41, of 4201 Possum Run Court W. on the Northeast Side, in the same scheme.

He is charged with five counts of tampering with records, accused of directing individuals to Young for the processing of their ID cards or licenses, Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said.

Young and Kpoto are accused of charging individuals several hundred dollars each for the service.

According to O'Brien, Young was working at the Gahanna BMV office when she falsified records to show that the applicants presented the necessary documentation to verify immigration status and secure valid ID cards or licenses.

None of the applicants was a U.S. citizen, he said.

The investigation was conducted by the BMV, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Homeland Security.

"There were 95 similar cases but the parties, witnesses and individuals involved either could not be located, went in to hiding, moved or were deported," O'Brien said.

"But we had five real good cases" that led to the indictments.

Each count is punishable by up to three years in prison.

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