Harwood woman facing fed charges in fraud related to driver’s licenses

A Harwood woman that worked for a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration in Prince George’s County faces federal charges for illegally producing around 267 fraudulent driver’s licenses, identity theft and bribery, federal officials announced Monday.

Marion Rose Payne, 54, is accused of conspiring with Manassas man Antonio Portillo, 35, to illegally produce, transfer and sell Maryland driver’s licenses to unlawful applicants provided by Portillo from July 2015 to March 2016.

Portillo, who pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme, would direct people to Payne’s workstation at the MVA Largo Branch in Prince George’s County. Prospective applicants paid Portillo thousands of dollars for making arrangements to receive a fraudulent driver’s license. Payne was also paid for each driver’s license she issued.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan Lenzner and lead Baltimore Homeland Security agent James Mancuso said Monday Portillo would give Payne other fraudulent documents necessary to receive a driver’s license, such as proof of tax payments, proof of Maryland residence and Virginia driver’s license numbers stolen from Virginia residents.

MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer said all of the fraudulent licenses were canceled and internal systems changed to prevent a similar scheme from happening again.

Portillo has not yet been sentenced following his guilty plea.

Payne faces 15 years in federal prison if she is convicted for conspiracy and production and transfer of identification documents produced without lawful authority. She is also charged with bribery involving an agent of a program receiving federal funds, an offense that carries a maximum 10 year punishment. And aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two year sentence consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

But final sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, according to U.S. Department of Justice. If convicted, a federal district court judge in Greenbelt will determine Payne’s sentence. The government is also seeking forfeiture of $138,000.