FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
JULY 17, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONSPIRATOR SENTENCED IN SCHEME TO SELL DRIVER’S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL ALIENS
Bribes to Maryland MVA Employee Demonstrate Vulnerability; 6 Defendants Convicted of Similar Conduct in Past Two Years
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Julio Ferman Miguel-Lopez, age 34, of Hyattsville, Maryland to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to produce and transfer unlawfully produced Maryland driver’s licenses issued by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to the plea agreement, Miguel-Lopez met with prospective driver’s license applicants in early 2006 who were willing to pay money to obtain a driver’s license illegally. Many of the applicants were illegal aliens seeking government identification documents.
Applicants paid Miguel-Lopez and other conspirators up to $3,800 for each fraudulently issued Maryland driver’s license. Miguel-Lopez and other conspirators arranged for the applicants to travel to the Beltsville branch of the MVA and directed the applicants to the workstation of Candace Nicole Green, who fraudulently approved the issuance of Maryland driver’s licenses. Ana Maria Lorena Creque paid Green approximately $1,300 for each unlawfully produced license. Miguel-Lopez admitted that he was responsible for the production and transfer of up to 25 illegally produced Maryland driver’s licenses.
On February 11, 2006, Miguel-Lopez met with several applicants in Beltsville, Maryland who paid him for the driver’s licenses. Miguel-Lopez drove the applicants to the Beltsville Branch of the MVA, or directed them to meet him in the MVA parking lot and then directed the applicants to Green’s workstation to obtain fraudulent driver’s licenses. Miguel-Lopez paid a portion of the money collected from each applicant to Creque, who in turn paid Green approximately $1,300 for each fraudulently issued driver’s license.
Miguel-Lopez also obtained a fraudulent driver’s license in his own name from Green on March 12, 2005. The license was seized when Miguel-Lopez was arrested on January 18, 2007.
Creque, age 46, of Adelphi, Maryland, and Green, age 35, of Landover, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce and sell unlawfully produced Maryland driver’s licenses. Each faces a maximum sentence of 15 years at their sentencing on November 5, 2007.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Internal Investigations Section of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s Investigation and Security Services Division and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their investigative work. The case originated with information provided by the MVA. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Dunne, who is prosecuting the case.