Inspector General and U.S. Attorney Announce Arrests

ALBANY, NY (02/23/2010)(readMedia)-- Inspector General Joseph Fisch joined in a press conference today in Manhattan with Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announcing the unsealing of charges against seven members of an identity fraud ring, including two New York State Department of Motor Vehicles employees, that allegedly sold more than 200 fraudulent New York State driver licenses, netting more than $1 million. In addition, 15 alleged customers who obtained fraudulent DMV documents through the ring were charged.

Inspector General Fisch stated at the press conference: "State employees who commit crimes not only violate the law, but betray the trust and responsibility imposed upon them as public servants and dishonor the reputations of their honest, hard-working colleagues. With these arrests, we serve notice that state employees who engage in such acts will be identified, apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent permissible by law. As was done here, we will continue working with law enforcement authorities, at all levels of government, in the identification and pursuit of such wrongdoers."

The press conference also included John T. Morton, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Raymond W. Kelly, New York City Police Commissioner, David J. Swarts, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Edward J. Ryan, Special Agent-in-Charge for the New York Office of the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, and Brian G. Parr, Special Agent-in-Charge for the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service.

The arrests stem from an organized scheme to obtain fraudulent DMV driver licenses, learner permits, and identification cards using stolen identities for, among others, convicted felons, a sex offender, an individual featured on "America's Most Wanted," and an undercover officer who claimed to be on the United States Government "no-fly" list. The participants in this criminal scheme included two allegedly corrupt DMV employees, Robin Jones-Woodson and Glenda Hinton, who worked in DMV offices in Yonkers and Harlem, respectively.

According to Inspector General Fisch, the case began in March 2009, when the New York Police Department learned of five persons bearing New York State driver licenses that did not reflect their true identities. One of the five individuals had been on the "America's Most Wanted" list. This information was forwarded to the Department of Motor Vehicles, and DMV Commissioner Swarts promptly notified the Inspector General. At the joint press conference he held today with U.S. Attorney Bharara, Inspector General Fisch commended DMV Commissioner Swarts for his diligence in bringing the allegations concerning his employees to the Inspector General and his cooperation and assistance in the investigation.

In April 2009, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York agreed to join the Inspector General in the investigation and to prosecute the case. Subsequently, the Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement joined the investigation, as did the Secret Service and Social Security Administration's Inspector General.

Investigation revealed that the applications for the five licenses were processed in the Yonkers DMV office with the approval of Woodson, the assistant to the office manager. Woodson approved the license applications despite the fact that they lacked required identification documentation. Further investigation identified Wilch Dewalt, known by his street name, "License Man," as the ringleader of the scheme who acted as the broker between customers and Woodson. Dewalt allegedly was paid up to $10,000 by individuals seeking licenses using stolen identities. It is believed that as many as 200 licenses or other DMV identification documents were improperly issued in this manner. Dewalt also allegedly had contact with Hinton, a Motor Vehicle Representative in DMV's Harlem office.

Inspector General Fisch acknowledges members of his staff who were assigned to the investigation, including First Deputy Inspector General Kelly Donovan, Special Deputy Inspector General Philip Foglia, Investigative Counsel Kenneth Michaels, and Investigators Robert Santana, Anne Peters, and Donal Rogers.