Posted on 12/23/2006 7:11:21 AM PST by Graybeard58
BRIDGEPORT -- A Waterbury woman who worked as an examiner for state Department of Motor Vehicles has been convicted of participating in a scheme to sell hundreds of driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and felons.
Janette Rodriguez-Roman, 34, of 56 Diane Terrace in Waterbury, collapsed into sobs as the verdict was announced Thursday in Bridgeport Superior Court.
"Oh my God! Oh my God, my children, my children," she cried as marshals handcuffed her and led her away. Her lawyer said she has "four or five" children and was in process of adopting another.
Rodriguez-Roman was convicted of 38 counts, including violating the state Corrupt Organizations Racketeering Act and multiple counts of bribery, bribe receiving, conspiracy to commit bribe receiving and second-degree forgery.
She remains jailed on $400,000 bond. Her attorney, Robert Serafinowicz of New Haven, said she likely will appeal.
Rodriguez-Roman is the fifth former Bridgeport motor vehicles worker to be prosecuted in the scheme to sell thousands of illegal licenses, but the first to go to trial.
The other four have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
Serafinowicz said he believes the jury's decision was based more on fears of terrorists gaining licenses than hard evidence against his client.
He also attacked the credibility of the witnesses, noting one man had frequent run-ins with the law.
"I don't know how you would believe anything said by any of them beyond a reasonable doubt," Serafinowicz said.
Rodriguez-Roman faces up to 330 years in prison when she is sentenced Feb. 2.
The alleged ringleaders of the scheme, Venita Bines, of Bridgeport, and Tracy Stevenson-Lucas, of Stratford, are serving 7-year sentences.
Authorities said the defendants sold more than 1,500 licenses and nearly 1,000 Connecticut identification cards between June 2000 and December 2004. The state has recovered only a small portion of the licenses, authorities have said.
I'm sure the state employee's union will go to bat for her.
Guess you did not learn to respect your Commander-In-Chief during time of war when all he is trying to do is protect you and yours from being killed like the poor souls on 9/11. I did in the Marine Corps. They taught us integrity and loyalty. Guess you did not grasp those. Don't spout Semper Fi to me when you can't live it.
I pulled your post 35. It looks like you didn't get the memo - no variation of the f-bomb is allowed on FR. Please clean up the language in future posts.
Why didn't she think of her kids before she decided to ruin their future, as well as hers?
While I know little about adoption, I would think that most courts and adoption agencies wouyld take a dim view of being charged with felony offences.
The case was broken in 2004 and her lawyer still thinks she *may* be allowed to adopt? Grab a hanky ambulance chaser. Maybe work on this case probono so the lady can afford the bail.
In addition to what she's already been convicted of, she's also liable to state and federal prosecution as an accessory to whatever crimes were committed using these false IDs -- not to mention the back taxes, interest and penalties arising from the unreported income.
You had better go find somebody to get that nasty thorn out of your paw. It has turned you into a blithering idiot.
Cripes! That oh, my children" crap is right down there with someone murdering hs parents and then asking for a pardon because he is an orphan!
The punishment must send a shockwave through any who would consider doing the same crime. It should make them think seriously about what it could cost them. It is treason. Think about that.
That would be the case where our government actually hunted down the smuggler in Mexico, gave him immunity, and brought him back to testify against the agents.
How does 330 sound if 10 of the 1000 licenses are used to buy guns and kill 10 people?
Female criminals generally do three things when caught: 1. Cry...a lot. 2. Cry and bleat about their children. 3. Cry and claim some guy 'made me do it' because he said he would kill her, blah, blah, blah. This woman got 2 out of 3. Not bad.
The punishment must send a shockwave through any who would consider doing the same crime. It should make them think seriously about what it could cost them. It is treason. Think about that.
I agree. It IS treason and does not deserve a 'slap on the wrist' punishment. 10 years, minimum. This kind of crime has to taken seriously and I believe it has, despite the Waterbury paper - usually politically conservative - trying to gin up a little sympathy for the convicted woman with the '330 years' headline, which is disingenuous.
ping
The article and the head line is from the A.P. The Waterbury Republican-American is consistently conservative in it's editorial content but without a wire source it wouldn't have anything but editorials and local news to print.
A judge here in NH recently sentenced a woman to many years in jail for her part in the murder of her stepfather by her then-boyfriend 15 or 20 years ago. This gal had 5 little kids and it was through her coming forward that the case was solved at all. It had lain dormant until about a year ago and was thought to be a "hunting accident" until this young lady did the right thing and let her conscience be her guide. If she had kept her mouth shut, both of them would still be free and nobody would be the wiser.
Hey, it could have been life.
"Ninety-nine years on the hard rock ground. And all he ever did was shoot the deputy down."
From some Kingston Trio song of 40 or so years ago.
Geez... LOL.
--Bad Man's Blunder, the Kingston Trio
Odd how chuckles glosses over this point:
Authorities said the defendants sold more than 1,500 licenses and nearly 1,000 Connecticut identification cards
This needs to be repeated! BTTT
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