HATTESBURG, Miss. – If you have ever wondered how illegal immigrants get driver’s licenses and other legal documents, here is a story about a woman who was providing those in Mississippi.
Last Friday, Homeland security agents arrested Lorena Gomez, a US citizen, and 13 immigrants in Laurel. At the same time, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations (MBI) arrested two employees with the Department of Public Safety (DPS). They say Gomez stole the identities of US citizens and has sold their identity documents to about 70 illegal immigrants since November. As for the DPS employees, they are accused of conspiring with Gomez to sell the driver’s licenses.
“Fraudulent documents threaten the security of all citizens by making it easier for criminals to commit a range of offenses from identity theft to potential terrorism,” said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New Orleans. “Further, this scheme created a nightmare scenario in which citizens could potentially have been held responsible for driving infractions or even criminal acts committed by the aliens using their stolen identities.”
If convicted Gomez could face 15 years in federal prison, and $250,000 fine.
