According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, twenty-one people have been accused of paying for answers to the state’s commercial driver’s license test.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., along with New York Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott yesterday announced that the 21 individuals allegedly paid for to have individuals provide them with the answers to the state’s written CDL exam.
The 21 people have been charged in the New York State Supreme Court with multiple counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree and False Statements, Alterations or Records or Substitution in Connection with an Examination.
The district attorney alleges that between April and August 2013, the defendants paid up to $4,000 to obtain the test answers.
The D.A.’s office says the scheme worked like this: test takers got the testing material from the DMV’s testing area, they then left the building and passed the test off to someone else who filled in the correct answers. The completed test was then turned back in and handed over for grading.
This process allowed the test takers to fraudulently their CDLs.
On September 26, 2013, Vance, Scott and U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch announced the indictment of 19 people for their participation in the scheme. In total, the indictment included 8 “ringleaders,” 8 test takers and three security guards.
Yesterday’s additional indictments were a continuation of the investigation. Eight of the ten defendants have already pleaded guilty.
“We entrust the holders of specialized licenses to drive our kids to school, transport dangerous materials, and perform other important tasks, all behind the wheels of large motor vehicles,” said District Attorney Vance. “It is critical that these drivers have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform these duties safely. The defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining specialized licenses, putting at risk the lives of everyone who shares our roadways.”
Inspector General Scott said: “People with commercial driver licenses operate school buses and heavy trailered vehicles that carry hazardous chemicals and petroleum. We entrust the operators of these vehicles to safely bring our children to and from school. We count on them to navigate very busy transportation networks without getting into catastrophic accidents. Test cheating puts innocent people at grave risk and cannot be tolerated. I have conducted this investigation to ensure the safety of our communities and to hold test cheaters accountable. I will continue to work closely with District Attorney Vance identifying and arresting test cheaters and those who have promoted this dangerous scheme to be sure the individuals we have arrested will be held fully accountable for their criminal activity.”
From the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr.:
[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANTS 1-21 (Listed below)
Charges:
- Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony
- False Statements, Alteration of Records, or Substitution in Connection with Examination, a misdemeanor
ELI ABREU, D.O.B. 5/30/1978, Queens, NY
WILSON BRUNO, D.O.B. 2/23/1986, Brooklyn, NY
ANGEL CAMPUSANO, D.O.B. 8/24/1966, Brooklyn, NY
CONCEPCION CRUZ, D.O.B. 5/11/1972, Nassau, NY
JEAN DESTIN, D.O.B. 12/24/1972, Queens, NY
AMADOU DIALLO, D.O.B. 6/9/1958, Brooklyn, NY
JUAN FLORES, D.O.B. 8/15/1980, Suffolk, NY
JESUS GUERRERO, D.O.B. 10/22/1990, Brooklyn, NY
DENTON HARDING, D.O.B. 7/4/1968, Queens, NY
LUIS HERNANDEZ, D.O.B. 7/5/1977, Queens, NY
HOLGER MARIN, D.O.B. 7/9/1962, Queens, NY
JOSE MARTINEZ, D.O.B. 8/10/1980, Nassau, NY
JUAN MARTINEZ, D.O.B. 10/23/1976, Suffolk, NY
AGIM MUSTAFAJ (KELMENDI), D.O.B. 7/15/1980, Putnam, NY
NAYIB PENA, D.O.B. 9/21/1992, Westchester, NY
JOSE QUIROZ, D.O.B. 2/22/1982, Suffolk, NY
ARIEL RONDON-MORONTA, D.O.B. 12/30/1986, Queens, NY
VICTOR SANMARTIN, D.O.B. 3/10/1972, Westchester, NY
LEROY SIMPSON, D.O.B. 8/10/1962, Westchester, NY
MARIE SIXTO, D.O.B. 12/1/1973, Nassau, NY
ROBERTO TINEO, Queens, NY