Officials in Florida have uncovered a driver’s license scheme in which “hundreds, if not more than a thousand” licenses – including some commercial driver’s licenses – were issued in exchange for bribes.
On June 12, Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford announced eight arrests following a monthlong investigation into two state Department of Motor Vehicle employees who are alleged to have provided driver’s licenses to individuals who had not met the statutory requirements.
According to officials, the investigation was launched in May after they received information that “two DMV employees were compromised and were being financially compensated to provide individuals with driver’s licenses.” Investigators said the two employees – Bancelie Velazco, 37, and Demetrius Smith, 30 – were “issuing (an) unusually large number” of licenses, prompting a review of in-house video at the DMV.
Chuck Purdue, Bay County tax collector, said his office was already reviewing some “anomalies” when he was alerted by the sheriff’s office about the investigation. Purdue said that in one month, his office discovered that Smith had conducted 295 road tests. On average, Purdue said a DMV employee typically conducts 20-25 road tests per month.
“These weren’t minor shortcuts; these were intentional acts of corruption where individuals paid bribes in exchange for skipping critical safety evaluations,” Ford said.
Investigators said they believed the scheme could have been going on for as long as three years. Following their arrests, officers seized a combined $120,000 from both Velazco’s and Smith’s residences.
Purdue added investigators do not believe any other DMV employees in the county’s four offices were participating in the scheme.
The investigation revealed that individuals from across Florida were being referred to the two employees to obtain an illegal driver’s license through third-party intermediaries.
Investigators said one of those intermediaries was CubaMax – a company that processes immigration documents. Niurbis Rosales, 37, the franchise owner and operator of CubaMax, was arrested and charged with 24 counts of fraud and misconduct.
Land Line contacted both the Bay County Sheriff’s Department and the attorney general’s office to inquire about how many of those illegal licenses were commercial driver’s licenses. As of Thursday, June 19, neither had provided a response.
The investigation continues, and additional charges and arrests are expected. According to police, those who obtained a license illegally could face felony charges. LL
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