Thread: TX - Ex-DPS worker took bribes to issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants

Updated 5:45 pm, Thursday, March 31, 2016

A former Texas Department of Public Safety employee pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal charge, admitting he took money in exchange for providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Jose Angel Ytuarte III, 54, used to work at the Texas DPS driver’s license division in Hondo. He entered the guilty plea to a charge of use of interstate facility (via the postal service) in aid of unlawful activity. Several other charges will be dropped as part of his plea deal, which is under seal.

Ytuarte, who is free on bond, faces up to five years in prison when U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez sentences him July 13.

Ytuarte admitted he took bribes from Azeez Mistry, 44, who was indicted on charges that include conspiring with Ytuarte to transfer licenses to immigrants who did not qualify for them.

According to the indictment, Mistry would charge immigrants between $1,000 and $5,000 for each license, refer them to Ytuarte, then pay a portion of that fee to Ytuarte as a cash bribe. The indictment further alleges that Ytuarte would input “materially fraudulent information,” namely that the individual was born in the United States, into the DPS computer system in order to process and issue a driver’s license to each immigrant.

The conduct occurred between May 1, 2013, and July 10, 2015, according to the indictment.

Mistry was also scheduled for a hearing Thursday, but his lawyer requested more time, and the judge reset Mistry’s case for late April.

The case came on the heels of another involving a former DPS employee, Linda Perez, who admitted she took $215,000 in bribes in exchange for issuing at least 144 fraudulent driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants over three years. Perez worked out of a driver’s license office on South Gen. McMullen Drive in San Antonio, and the DPS discovered the illegal activity last year.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...-s-7221182.php

Jose A. Ytuarte, a former employee of the Texas Department of Public Safety
Photo: John Davenport /San Antonio Express-News

Ring accused of taking bribes for TX driver’s licenses

By Guillermo Contreras
Published 5:53 pm, Friday, October 23, 2015

Federal and state authorities on Friday arrested a Texas Department of Public Safety employee as part of an investigation targeting a ring accused of providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.


Jose A. Ytuarte, who worked at the DPS driver’s license offices in Hondo, was indicted in federal court Wednesday with two to three other suspects with conspiracy to transfer false identification documents, transfer of false ID documents and use of interstate facility (via the postal service) in aid of unlawful activity. Ytuarte, investigated by Texas Rangers and the FBI with assitance from the Border Patrol, was released Friday on $25,000 unsecured bond.


The conduct occurred between May 1, 2013, and July 10, 2015, according to the partially unsealed indictment. The names of his co-defendants are blacked out in the indictment because they are not yet in federal custody.


That case comes on the heels of one last month involving another DPS employee, Linda Ann Perez, 47, who signed a plea deal last week admitting she took $215,000 in bribes in exchange for issuing at least 144 fraudulent driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants over three years. Perez worked out of a driver’s license office on South Gen. McMullen in San Antonio, and DPS discovered the illegal activity this spring.


Officials declined comment on the cases, but court records show agents with Homeland Security Investigations scrutinized Perez’s case to see if potential terrorists got licenses.


“All of the Texas driver’s licenses issued and renewed by Perez for illegal alien applicants were all of Hispanic descent,” her plea deal states. “None were special interest aliens.”


Perez, who worked for DPS for eight years, told investigators that she first began by-passing the state’s license system as a favor for an acquaintance, in exchange for $500. She also told agents she was not aware of anyone else at DPS that was selling driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.


“Perez was involved...with issuing approximately 144 fraudulent licenses to illegal aliens, which, conservatively at $1,500 a license, yielded approximately $215,000 in bribes for Perez,” her plea deal said.


In Ytuarte’s case, one of his unnamed co-defendants charged $1,000 to $5,000 per driver’s license and took or referred the immigrants to Ytuarte, who got an unspecified amount in kickbacks for the licenses, the indictment said. The immigrants did not legally qualify for the licenses.


The indictment said Ytuarte — like Perez — would enter into the system that the immigrant was born in the United States, which was false. The licenses would then be mailed to the immigrants.


If convicted, Ytuarte faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the transfer count and conspiracy charge, and up to five years for each of four charges of using an interstate facility to aid illegal conduct.


Records show Perez is scheduled to formally plead guilty Nov. 3 to one of three charges that she used an interstate facility to aid illegal conduct, so she can get as light a sentence as possible. Three charges, including a count of transferring false IDs, will be dismissed.



gcontreras@express-news.net

Former DPS employee pleads guilty to
fraudulent drivers license sales

Linda Perez issued licenses to undocumented immigrants

Posted: 4:46 PM, November 03, 2015 Updated: 6:27 PM, November 03, 2015



SAN ANTONIO - Linda Perez, a former Department of Public Safety employee, admitted to selling $215,000 worth of Texas drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants.

According to investigators from the Department of Homeland Security Perez, who worked at the department’s office on South General McMullen, said Tuesday she sold the licenses for $1,000 to $2,000 each from November 2014 to May 2015.

“Ms. Perez has taken responsibility for what she’s done,” said her attorney Luis Vera. “It is a serious matter and she knows that.”

According to information contained in the plea agreement, Perez accepted the money in paper bags, which also often contained food at the counter where she worked. Investigators conservatively estimated that she issued 144 licenses.

Perez is facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be formally sentenced on Feb. 4, 2016.

http://www.ksat.com/news/former-dps-employee-pleads-guilty-to-fraudulent-drivers-license-sales

We have had numerous articles like this....there must be millions of such licenses around the country by now.

These two better contact their relatives in Mehico regarding an extra room.....

Originally Posted by Jean

We have had numerous articles like this....there must be millions of such licenses around the country by now.

You are right and the bad news is, they will use them to vote.

The state of Pennsylvania is listed as not issuing DL to illegals YET all illegals that drive have one, own a car with valid insurance a must.

No bribes needed, the state is set up to issue online simply by supplying a SS#, name & address - obviously nothing is verified.

Pay & they send you the card to go to Motor Vehicle Center for picture and you have a license. Read many stories where crooks have multiple licenses in different names.

So driving is a privilege and used to have a strict issuance criteria. That is all out the window to allow illegals to drive and possibly to vote as some states do auto register with DL. Though it is claimed someone checks all registrants, I doubt it.

Voters registration - You can register to vote at a PA Department of Transportation photo license center when you obtain or update your driver's license.
Online registration - you are asked if you are a citizen, asked for DL# or last 4 digits of SS#, name, address. birth date, party. Now is the county registrars office really going to fact check citizen? NO - especially if you obtained a DL or have a SS# even if fraudulent.

• PENNDOT.GOV

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation TOM WOLF, GOVERNOR | LESLIE S. RICHARDS, SECRETARY

DMV > Driver Services > Driver Licensing > Get a Driver License

GET A DRIVER LICENSE

An initial Learner's Permit is issued to any individual, 16 years of age or older, who has never been licensed to operate a vehicle, a new resident who has never been licensed, or a new resident who has been licensed in another state but whose driver license has been expired longer than 6 months. If you are a new resident to PA, please visit our New Resident information page.

PROCESS:

STEP 1:

Acquire a Pennsylvania Driver's Manual from a local Driver License Center, or on this website: English or Spanish.

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Have a physician, physician assistant, certified registered nurse practitioner or chiropractor conduct a physical examination and complete Form DL-180 "Non-Commercial Learner’s Permit Application."

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Visit a Driver License Center with:

• The completed DL-180
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Take your eye screening and Knowledge Test at a PennDOT Driver License Center. Once passed, you will be issued your Initial Learner's Permit.

Note: Permit holders under the age of 18 are encouraged to schedule their exam at this time for 6 months from the date their initial permit was issued. Leading up to the date of their skills test, if the student does not feel comfortable they may reschedule their exam for a future date.

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New exams appointments are made available every Wednesday morning that are within 6 weeks and 6 months timeframe.

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When visiting a Driver License Center to take your road test, please be sure to bring the following items with you:

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PennDOT uses state-of-the-art facial recognition technology when an individual has their photo taken for their driver's license/identification card renewal.

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Do you think you are ready to take your knowledge test?

Please use our Locator service to find a PennDOT location near you. Be sure to bring your completed Non-Commercial Learner’s Permit Application, completed Parent and Guardian Consent form or required proof of residency, and appropriate fee.

http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Driver-Service...r-license.aspx
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Texas DPS Employee Pleads Guilty in Driver Licenses
for Illegal Aliens Scheme


by Bob Price1 Apr 2016

A former employee of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has pleaded guilty on federal charges of providing fraudulent Texas Driver Licenses to illegal aliens.

Jose A. Ytuarte, 54, pleaded guilty in a San Antonio federal court to one count of using an interstate facility in aid of an unlawful activity – bribery. Yturate admitted to accepting bribes in the form of cash payments from a co-conspirator in exchange for inputting “materially fraudulent information” into the DPS computer system, according to a statement from the Department of Justice obtained by Breitbart Texas. He confessed that he would input information that an illegal alien was, in fact, a person born in the United States in order to issue a Texas Driver License. In Texas, illegal aliens cannot obtain a license to drive.

In October, Ytuarte was charged with six counts as part of the scheme to issue licenses to illegal aliens, Breitbart Texas’ Lana Shadwick reported. The indictments covered a period of more than two years, from May 2013 to July 2015. The indictment revealed that his co-conspirator, Azeez Mistry, a 44-year-old San Antonio man, would allegedly charge the illegal alien between $1,000 and $5,000 for each license. He would then pay a portion of that fee as a bribe to Ytuarte, the indictment stated.

Mistry was also arrested on the charges. He still awaits trial on one charge of transferring false identification documents and four counts of use of an interstate communication facility in aid of unlawful activity. The illegal transactions were scheduled to take place during the lunch hour when other DPS employees were not around. Mistry is currently out of jail on a $25,000 bond.

The issuance of the illegal Driver Licenses took place at the DPS office in Hondo, Texas. Hondo is located about 45 miles west of San Antonio on U.S. Highway 90.

Ytuarte now faces up to five years in federal prison. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on July 13. If Mistry is convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Texas Rangers, agents from the FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.

In Oregon, illegal aliens are suing the state for the ability to legally obtain a driver license, Breitbart Texas’ Lana Shadwick reported. Familias En Accion and Los Ninos Cuentan and five illegal aliens are suing the Oregon Governor Kate Brown, numerous members of the Oregon Department of Transportation Commission, and the Administrator of the Driver and Motor Vehicles Division for the Oregon Department of Transportation, she wrote. The complaint was filed in early November.

In September 2015, Shadwick reported on another DPS employee, this one from San Antonio, who is also charged with accepting bribes to issue Driver Licenses to illegal aliens. Linda A. Perez was a public servant acting as a customer service representative in the DPS Driver License Division in San Antonio from January 1, 2012, to July 8, 2015, Shadwick wrote. Perez was charged with allegedly accepting $1,000-$2,000 bribes to issue Texas Driver Licenses to illegal aliens who did not legally qualify for those licenses.

Perez pleaded guilty in November 2015 and is awaiting sentencing which is scheduled for April, court records obtained by Breitbart Texas revealed.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and is a member of the original Breitbart Texas team.
Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2016/04/01/texas-dps-employee-pleads-guilty-driver-licenses-illegal-aliens-scheme/