Six persons have been indicted in Louisiana for bribing Office of Motor Vehicles officials and others to illegally obtain commercial drivers licenses.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the Aug. 28 indictments of the individuals to obtain CDLs without undergoing any of the legally required training or testing.
The indictment alleges that a local restaurant owner, Mahmoud Alhattab, in exchange for payments from CDL applicants, bypassed each of the three main federally-mandated steps of the CDL qualification process including knowledge testing, entry-level driver training, and skills testing.
To defeat the knowledge test requirement, Alhattab allegedly bribed two employees of a Donaldsonville, Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles office. These two employees, Jenay Davis and Shakira Millien are accused of completing knowledge tests for applicants in exchange for payments from Alhattab.The indictment alleges David and Millien, when taking the applicants’ tests, performed internet searches to find the answers.
To defeat the training requirement, Alhattab allegedly bribed two men who operated truck driver training businesses. These two business operators, Christopher Bryan Burns and Jonathan Persons are accused of reporting in a federal database that the applicants successfully completed training when, in truth, the applicants did not train.
To defeat the skills test requirement, Alhattab allegedly bribed Burns and Parsons, who, in addition to being trainers, were certified to administer the skills test. The two are accused of falsely reporting to the State of Louisiana that applicants had passed the skills test when, in truth, the applicants did not take the test.
Additionally, according to the indictment, on some occasions, Parsons paid another skills test examiner to assist in the scheme. That examiner, Marline Roberts, is accused of creating phony score sheets to corroborate the false test reports.
All six defendants are jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Alhattab and Parsons are each charged with two counts of honest services wire fraud. Burns, Davis, and Roberts are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud. Alhattab, Millien, and Parsons are each charged with four counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Burns, David, and Roberts are each charged with one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The conspiracy and wire fraud counts are each punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. The bribery counts are each punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. Each count may also be punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years supervised release following imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge, and that each defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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