Former MVA employees convicted for selling driving credentials
BALTIMORE -- Three former employees of the Maryland Vehicle Administration were sentenced in a driver's license fraud scheme, according to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown.
Shanice Smith, 35, Erica Watson, 30, and Larry Marshall 55, all of Baltimore - defrauded the MVA's system designed to award driving credentials to eligible drivers, the AG said.
The scheme began with Watson advertising MVA credentials, which included driver's licenses and learners' permits, for $600 each on Instagram.
Smith and Watson then accepted payment for the credentials, orchestrating a scheme where two individuals took the written portion of the driver's tests for at least 66 MVA applicants.
As a customer agent at the MVA, Smith's responsibilities included administering the knowledge tests - but she allowed tests to be completed for MVA applicants who were not present, the AG said.
Watson and Marshall used a portion of the funds collected from the MVA applicants to bribe Smith for her assistance in the scheme, the AG said.
Smith pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and bribery and was sentenced to three years of supervised probation.
Marshall pleaded guilty to felony identity fraud scheme, conspiracy to commit identity fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to commit bribery. He was sentenced to 17 months of incarceration with five years of supervised probation.
Watson pleaded guilty to the same charges as Watson, and was sentenced to six months of incarceration with three years of supervised probation.