Former MVA Employee and Translator Indicted in Conspiracy to Produce and Transfer Fraudulent Maryland Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards

Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury indicted Warren Hall, age 46, of Parkville, Maryland, and Adalberto Benito Prins, age 47, of Baltimore, for conspiracy to produce and transfer, and producing and transferring Maryland driver’s licenses and identification cards without lawful authority, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. The superseding indictment was returned on August 13, 2009 and unsealed today upon Hall’s arrest.

“The actions of those who unlawfully produce and sell Maryland driver’s licenses and identification cards for profit clearly pose a threat to our national security and public safety,” said William Winter, Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Baltimore. “ICE is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify, arrest, and bring to justice those involved in these illegal schemes."

According to the five count indictment, Hall was a Senior Document Examiner at the Mondawmin Mall Branch of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) and was permitted to issue identification documents, such as Maryland driver’s licenses and identification cards to individuals who were born outside the United States. Prins acted as a translator for applicants seeking identification documents at the MVA’s Mondawmin Mall Branch and knew Hall from his work at the MVA. The indictment alleges that from November 2005 through January 2007 Prins met with applicants seeking to obtain identification documents from the MVA. The indictment alleges that Hall and Prins received money in exchange for Hall unlawfully producing identification documents for the identification document applicants. The indictment further alleges that on February 20, 2009, Hall unlawfully produced and transferred a Maryland identification card to an undercover law enforcement officer.

The defendants faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy and 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for producing and transferring fraudulent identification documents. Hall is scheduled to have his initial appearance in federal district court in Baltimore today at 3:00 p.m. Prins has not been arrested and is still being sought.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration - Investigation and Security Services Division for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who is prosecuting the case.