REGISTRY ROUST: Illegal Immigrants Busted for Try at RI IDs
Rhode Island State Police arrest 4 people at the Pawtucket DMV who they say were trying to obtain driver's licenses with fake documentation. ABC6 has more from the RISP…
On April 30, 2010, Troopers from the Lincoln Woods Barracks responded to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Pawtucket to investigate a complaint of three people in possession of fraudulent documentation, and two of them were attempting to obtain RI Driver's licenses. Upon Troopers' arrival and subsequent investigation, the following three people were arrested and charged as indicated below:
Maximino Briceno-Menza, age 38, of 66 Bloomingdale Avenue, Pawtucket, RI, was charged with Identity Fraud and Giving False Document to Agent, Public Official.
Lourdes Benitez-Trejo, age 35, of 66 Bloomingdale Avenue, Pawtucket, RI, was charged with Identity Fraud.
Rolando E. Hernandez, age 24, of 87 Newark Street, Providence, RI, was charged with Giving False Document to Agent, Public Official
The investigation revealed that Mr. Briceno-Menza attempted to obtain a RI Driver's license, by presenting a RI Identification Card and a counterfeit social security card he had obtained under another person's name, to a DMV Official. Ms. Benitez-Trejo did not attempt to obtain a RI Driver's license. However, when she was asked for identification, as she is the spouse of Mr. Briceno-Menza, she presented a fraudulent RI Driver's license in another person's name.
The third person in the company of Mr. Briceno-Menza and Ms. Benitez-Trejo, Rolando E. Hernandez, had also presented a counterfeit social security card to a DMV Official in an attempt to renew his RI Driver's license.
All three individuals admitted that they had entered the United States illegally from Honduras and that they had purchased the fraudulent documents from a “street vendor.”
Rhode Island State Police
Press Release
Four Arrested at the DMV
May 3, 2010
Page 2
While these three (3) subjects were being placed under arrest, a fourth male subject, not associated with the three subjects previously arrested, entered the DMV. He presented DMV Officials with a Puerto Rican birth certificate and an altered National Grid electric bill, in an attempt to prove local residency, and a counterfeit social security card. This person was also arrest and charged. His information and charges are as follows:
Andres Reyes, age 45, of 3 Job Street, Providence, RI, was charged with Identity Fraud and Giving False Document to Agent, Public Official.
During the investigation Mr. Reyes admitted that he purchased the Puerto Rican birth certificate in the name of another individual, that he was a citizen of the Dominican Republic, and that he was in the country illegally.
After conferring with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the following was learned and decided regarding the four (4) suspects:
Mr. Briceno-Menza had been previously deported to his native country of Honduras in November of 2008 after being apprehended by Border Patrol Agents in Brownsville, Texas. It was also learned that Mr. Brizeno-Menza had been arrested in the State of North Carolina on five (5) occasions from 1997 to 2003 for misdemeanor related violations. Mr. Briceno-Menza was arraigned on the State Police charges by a Justice of the Peace (JP) and released on $1,000 personal recognizance (PR). He was then transported to the ACI on the authority of an ICE Detainer, pending further action by the RI State Police and ICE.
Ms. Benito-Trejo, also a native of Honduras, had been ordered removed from the United States in February of 2004 stemming from an ICE case in North Carolina. However, she failed to appear for her deportation hearing. The State Police, in agreement with ICE, decided not to take action against Ms. Benitez-Trejo as she had a young child at home. She was issued a summons to respond to the ICE office at a later date for processing. Ms. Benito-Trejo was also arraigned by a JP on released on $2,000 with surety on the State Police charges.
Mr. Hernandez, a citizen of Honduras, was in the United States illegally but had filed an application to remain in the United States legally. ICE decided not to take action against Mr. Hernandez, due to his pending immigration application. Mr. Hernandez was arraigned by a JP and released on $1000.00 PR on the State Police charges.
Mr. Reyes had no previous contact with ICE, but based on his admission that he is a native of the Dominican Republic and in the United States illegally, he was considered to be in the country illegally and entered the United States without Inspection. Mr. Reyes was arraigned on the State Police charges by a JP and released on $1,000.00 PR. He was then transported to the ACI on the authority of the ICE Detainer, pending further action by both the RI State Police and ICE.
