United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

LEAD DEFENDANT IN FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT SCHEME,
THAT INVOLVED A TEXAS DPS TROOPER,
SENTENCED TO NEARLY FOUR YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

DALLAS — The lead defendant in a fraudulent document scheme, Ruben Gomez-Luevano, 36, of McKinney, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey to 44 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Just weeks before his federal trial was to begin, Gomez-Luevano, a Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty in March 2010 to one count of conspiracy to transfer stolen and unlawfully issued identification documents. After serving his sentence, he will be referred to U.S. Immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

Gomez’s two co-defendants, Reyes David Martinez 36, of Dallas, and Alvaro Ivan Adame, 41, of Wichita Falls, Texas, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme and have been sentenced. Martinez pleaded guilty in April 2009 to one count of conspiracy to transfer unlawfully issued identification documents and was sentenced in July 2009 to fourteen months. Likewise, Adame pleaded guilty in December 2009 to one count of accessory after the fact to the crime of improper entry by an alien and was sentenced the same day to five years probation. At the time of his offense, Adame was a Lieutenant with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and worked as a supervisor in its Driver License Division at offices on Northwest Highway in Dallas and in Wichita Falls. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Adame resigned from the Texas DPS and has permanently relinquished his Texas Peace Officer’s License, precluding him from ever obtaining that license again in Texas.

With full knowledge of Gomez-Luevano’s illegal status in the U.S., Adame attempted to employ him as an “off the books” confidential informant to assist in the investigation into the use of fraudulent documents at Texas DPS offices, but DPS refused to approve him. Adame assisted Gomez-Luevano in avoiding apprehension and deportation and also received money from Gomez-Luevano for helping the aliens that were paying Gomez-Luevano to obtain Texas driver’s licenses and identification cards to clear fines they owed to DPS.

According to documents filed in the case, Gomez-Luevano admitted that from 2003 until his arrest in January 2009, he conspired to transfer driver’s licenses and identification cards knowing theywere produced without lawful authority. Martinez became involved in the conspiracy in 2008 when he began working for Gomez-Luevano. Martinez and Gomez-Luevano transported the aliens from Texas to New Mexico and helped them obtain fraudulent New Mexico residency documents. The aliens then presented the documents to the New Mexico Department of Motor Vehicles and received New Mexico licenses. Martinez and Gomez-Luevano would then transport the aliens back to the Dallas area, where they would present the New Mexico licenses or identification cards to the Texas DPS, including the office managed by DPS Lieutenant Adame, and would then receive a Texas driver’s license or identification card in the mail. The aliens paid Gomez-Luevano between $1500 and $2500 to receive their Texas licenses. Sometimes, Gomez-Luevano even allowed the aliens to use his vehicle to take the driving test. The district court found that Gomez-Luevano assisted others in fraudulently procuring more than 200 Texas driver’s licenses and identification cards during the conspiracy.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force with the cooperation of the Texas DPS. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cara Foos Pierce and Errin Martin prosecuted the case.

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