TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that three Motor Vehicle Commission
clerks at the Jersey City and North Bergen
MVC agencies have been charged with selling
driver’s licenses to unauthorized persons.
According
to Gramiccioni, the three MVC clerks were
arrested early yesterday afternoon by Division
of Criminal Justice detectives as a result
of an investigation by the DCJ Major Crimes
Bureau - MVC Unit. She identified the defendants
as:
$Sonia
Noel, 45, of Union City, a clerk at the Jersey
City Motor Vehicle Agency. Charged with two
counts of official misconduct (2nd degree),
two counts of accepting or receiving a benefit
by a public servant for official behavior
(2nd degree), and two counts of tampering
with public records (3rd degree). In custody
in Hudson County Jail in lieu of $100,000
bail.
$Melody
Noel, 24, of Union City, Sonia’s daughter,
a clerk at the Jersey City Motor Vehicle Agency.
Charged with one count of official misconduct
(2nd degree) and one count of tampering with
public records (3rd degree). In custody in
Hudson County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
$Christian
Toledo, 30, of North Bergen, a clerk at the
North Bergen Motor Vehicle Agency. Charged
with one count of official misconduct (2nd
degree), one count of accepting or receiving
a benefit by a public servant for official
behavior (2nd degree), and one count of tampering
with public records (3rd degree). In custody
in Hudson County Jail in lieu of $100,000
bail.
“The
sale of official documents to unauthorized
persons is a serious crime with the potential
to compromise public safety and security,”
said Attorney General Milgram. “False
identifications can readily be used to commit
other crimes.”
The
three clerks allegedly issued New Jersey digital
driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants
and an undercover detective posing as an undocumented
immigrant. The purchasers paid several thousand
dollars per license and were not required
to provide the MVC with the required identification
documents to demonstrate their legal authority
to obtain a license. Other individuals acted
as brokers, arranging for the purchases and
sharing the money. The investigation is continuing.
“Investigators
from the Division of Criminal Justice were
able to infiltrate the alleged corrupt activities
of these MVC employees, leading to yesterday’s
arrests,” said Director Gramiccioni.
“Our investigation into this document
fraud scheme is continuing.”
The
investigation was conducted and coordinated
by Detective Shawn Gorlin, Detective Fred
Moore, Detective Nick Olenick, Investigator
Ruben Contreras, and Supervising Deputy Attorney
General Frank Brady Jr. of the Division of
Criminal Justice Major Crimes Bureau - MVC
Unit. Attorney General Milgram thanked the
Motor Vehicle Commission for providing assistance
to the detectives who investigated the case.
Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in prison and a $150,000 fine, while third-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years
in prison and a $15,000 fine.
The
charges against the defendants are merely
accusations and they are presumed innocent
until proven guilty.
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