TRENTON
– Attorney General Zulima V. Farber
and Division of Criminal Justice Director
Gregory A. Paw announced that a Motor Vehicle
Commission (MVC) employee has been charged
with official misconduct and other related
charges for allegedly providing a fraudulent
identification card to an unauthorized person.
According
to Director Paw, Kenneth Layton, III, 35,
of Trenton, was charged with second-degree
official misconduct, third-degree tampering
with public records or information and fourth-degree
falsifying records. If convicted of all
charges, Layton faces up to 16 and a half
years in state prison and a fine of up to
$175,000.
“Efforts
to investigate and prosecute document fraud
focus on illegally obtained and/or fraudulent
driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations,
insurance cards, driver permits and related
identification documents such as U.S. passports,
social security cards, birth certificates,
county ID cards and other official documents,”
Director Paw said. “Renewed vigilance
and investigation will serve to uncover
areas of susceptibility. The Division of
Criminal Justice will vigorously prosecute
anyone involved in the black market trade
of illegitimate identification documents.”
The
Aug. 25 indictment alleges that in June
2004, Layton used his position as an MVC
clerk at the Trenton Regional Service Center
to issue a fraudulent New Jersey driver’s
license to an individual whose license had
been suspended. An investigation by the
Division of Criminal Justice - Organized
Crime Bureau determined that the individual
completed an “Application for non-driver
ID” using a false name and returned
it to Layton. The investigation determined
that Layton subsequently issued the fraudulent
driver’s license.
Layton
was arrested by the New Jersey State Police
in December 2004. Since the arrest, Layton
remains on indefinite, unpaid suspension
from the MVC.
The
indictment, which was handed up to Mercer
County Superior Court Judge Maria M. Sypek,
is only an accusation. The defendant is
presumed innocent unless and until proven
guilty.
Deputy
Attorney General Philip Aronow coordinated
the investigation and presented the case
to the grand jury. The New Jersey State
Police and the Mansfield Township Police
Department assisted in the investigation.
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