Former DMV employee sentenced to prison for fixing commercial license applicant test scores

SACRAMENTO -- A former California Department of Motor Vehicles employee was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison for a bribery scheme that involved changing test scores of commercial license applicants.

U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert said in a press statement that Shawana Denise Harris, 52, of San Bernardino County, participated in a conspiracy to commit bribery, to commit unauthorized access to a computer, and to commit identity fraud.

Court documents indicated Harris was a long-time DMV employee who was able to change test scores for commercial driver's license applicants in California in exchange for cash, typically $1,500 per applicant.

Harris used her access to DMV computers to enter fraudulent test scores for 185 applicants, which indicated the applicants had passed written and/or behind-the-wheel commercial drive tests, even though they had not passed the tests. 

Harris and a co-conspirator received approximately $277,500 worth of corrupt bribes.

The case was jointly investigated by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Office of Internal Affairs; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General.