DMV examiners and customers charged with document fraud

MIAMI - Eighteen individuals, including four employees of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DMV), were indicted Friday for document fraud as a result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Four DMV examiners at three different Broward County offices were indicted for conspiracy to produce and transfer valid Florida driver's licenses without lawful authority: Rolin Pierre, 50, and Tempest Shanesha Wright, 30, both of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Mariline Myriam Ade, 42, of Miramar, Fla., and Alysia Jackson, 44, of Sunrise, Fla.

Fourteen separate indictments also charge the individuals who obtained Florida driver's licenses from Pierre and his co-conspirators, using fraudulent immigration documents to support their license applications: Alexander Alvarez Lopez, 32, of Bradenton, Fla.; Davon A. Barrett, 39, of Plantation, Fla.; Michael Hugh Wayne Berry, 44, of Miami Gardens, Fla.; Stephanie Blake, 41, of Lauderhill, Fla.; Luis Carachure, 25, of Pompano Beach, Fla.; Jose Valente Facio Alvarez, 31, of Lehigh Acres, Fla.; Bernard Geffrard, 38, of Bradenton; Cristian Ionita, 33, of North Las Vegas, Nev.; Wedson Julmiste, 35, of Fort Lauderdale; Julie Michel, 30, of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.; Nixon Nicholas, 47, of Fort Lauderdale; Leonce Obei, 42, of Sunrise; Georgina Abigail Rock, 34, of Miramar; and Jacqueline Thomas, 39, of Sunrise.

"Targeting document fraud schemes is a top enforcement priority for ICE," said Michael Shea, deputy special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Miami. "Document fraud puts the security of our communities and even our country at risk by creating vulnerabilities that could be exploited. This is another example of the outstanding working partnership we have with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Florida Highway Patrol."

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, "Fraud in the production and transfer of valid identification documents is a threat to our homeland security. We are pleased to have put these defendants out of business."

If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Pierre and his co-defendants each face a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison, in addition to a possible fine and a term of supervised release of up to three years.