09-08-04 -- Love, Linda -- Guilty plea -- News Release

Ninth MVC Employee Admits Taking Cash to Fraudulently Produce Driver's Licenses

CAMDEN - Another employee of the state Motor Vehicles Commission pleaded guilty today, admitting that she conspired to produce hundreds of fraudulent driver's licenses for which she received $300 each, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

Linda Love, 44, of Willingboro, admitted before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to participating in a scheme with other employees of the former Division of Motor Vehicles, as well as non-employees, to produce driver's licenses for individuals not otherwise entitled to them.

Love, who worked as an examination technician at the MVC's Driver Testing Center in Mount Holly, admitted to permitting certain individuals to take multiple written examinations for driver's licenses for other individuals. Love admitted to having fraudulently generated approximately 750 driver's licenses - approximately five every week - over a three-year period and receiving cash payments of approximately $300 for each driver's license.

When she is sentenced by Judge Wolfson, Love faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Howe. Judge Wolfson set sentencing for Dec. 13.

Love remains free on $50,000 bail. She was originally charged in a criminal Complaint on Nov. 5, 2003. Love was terminated from her position with the MVC in November 2003. Love had been employed with the MVC for more than 10 years.

Love is now the ninth MVC employee since January to plead guilty in connection with the driver's license fraud scheme, in which employees of the state agency and non-employees received hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce and procure licenses for individuals who were not entitled to them.

The investigation of other MVC employees and non-employees continues.

Others pleading guilty so far are:

• Tonya Horn, 33, formerly of Scotch Plains and now of Easton, Pa., a service representative of the Springfield MVC office, admitted that she processed driver permits and licenses without ever having spoken with the respective applicants; she received between $100 and $150 for each of more than 100 fraudulent licenses.

• Marcella Lewis, 36, of Plainfield, an examination technician at the MVC office in Elizabeth, admitted to permitting certain individuals to take multiple written examinations for driver's licenses for other individuals, and receiving $150 for each of more than 100 fraudulent licenses.

• Sheilina D. Moore, 28, of Clementon, a customer service representative at the MVC Mount Holly office, admitted receiving between $100 and $200 for each of more than 100 bogus licenses she helped produce.

• Linda Carlo, 41, of Newark, a customer service representative at the MVC Springfield office, admitted receiving $100 for each of more than 100 bogus licenses she helped produce.

• Anita Feathers, 53, of Sloatzburg, NY, also a customer service representative at the MVC Springfield office, admitted receiving $100 for each bogus license she helped produce.

• Barbara Carter, 52, of Roselle Park, a customer service representative at DMV Plus, a private agency in Springfield, admitted receiving $500 for each bogus license and DMV identification card she conspired to produce with MVC employees at the Springfield office.

• Rita Peterson, 40, of Newark, a customer service representative at the MVC Springfield office, admitted receiving $100 for each bogus license she helped produce.

• Lori Awan, 39, of North Plainfield, a customer service representative at the MVC Springfield office, admitted receiving $100 for each fraudulent license she helped generate.

All of those defendants await sentencing.

Under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Judge Wolfson will determine Love's actual sentence based on a formula that takes into account the severity and characteristics of the offense and Love's criminal history, if any. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Under Sentencing Guidelines, defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.

Christie credited Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Joseph Billy, Jr., for their work in developing the case.

The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Howe of the U.S. Attorney's Special Prosecutions Unit in Newark.

Defense Attorney: Mario J. D'Alfonso, Esq. Cherry Hill