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TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that a Motor Vehicle Commission
employee and four other individuals have been
charged in a scam that illegally provided
driver’s licenses and related documents
to customers.
According
to Director Gramiccioni, Rosalind C. Magee,
25, of Egg Harbor Township, a customer service
representative at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle
Commission – Cardiff Agency, in Egg
Harbor Township, was charged with second-degree
conspiracy, three counts each of official
misconduct (one 2nd degree and two 3rd degree),
bribery (one 2nd degree and two 3rd degree)
and tampering with public records or information
(one 2nd degree and two 3rd degree). Magee
was also charged with second-degree pattern
of official misconduct.
The
indictment also charges ,
aka Samuel Jirau, 32, of Pleasantville, with
conspiracy, three counts each of official
misconduct, bribery and tampering with public
records or information. The degrees of the
charges are the same for was they
are for Magee.
Between
June 6 and Aug. 6, 2007, Magee allegedly used
her position to process and issue New Jersey
digital driver’s licenses or a New Jersey
non-driver IDs without the required supporting
documents. Magee conspired with , who
acted as a “broker,” bringing
customers to Magee. allegedly located
and arranged for customers to obtain the driver’s
licenses. On at least two occasions,
paid Magee an unspecified amount of money
for the licenses.
The
licenses and non-driver IDs were allegedly
issued to on June 6, 2007, Heriberto
Gonzalez, aka Jose Velasquez, 38, of Atlantic
City, on July 14, 2007, and Wilfredo J. Rivera,
29, of Atlantic City, on August 6, 2007.
Benjamin
Falcon, 36, of Egg Harbor Township, allegedly
acted as the “middle man” on at
least one occasion, delivering an unspecified
amount of money to Magee for
license. Falcon was charged with second-degree
official misconduct, second-degree bribery,
and third-degree tampering with public records
or information.
Rivera
was charged with official misconduct, bribery
and tampering with public records (all 3rd
degree). Gonzalez was charged with bribery
and tampering with public records or information
(both third-degree).
Magee
was suspended without pay after the New Jersey
Motor Vehicle Commission uncovered the alleged
fraud. The Commission immediately referred
the matter to the Division of Criminal Justice
for further investigation.
Members
of the New Jersey State Police, Auto Unit,
and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
coordinated the investigation. Deputy Attorney
General Christine Hoffman presented the case
to the state grand jury. Attorney General
Milgram thanked the Egg Harbor Township Police
Department for its assistance in the investigation.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
Second-degree charges carry a maximum sentence
of 10 years in state prison and a fine of
$150,000 while third-degree charges carry
a maximum sentence of up to five years and
a fine of $15,000.
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