Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Woman faces up to 330 years
Waterbury Republican-American ^ | December 23, 2006 | A.P.

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.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: alieninvasion; aliens; crimigration; criminals; identitythieves; immigrantlist; rodriguezroman
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 last
To: Dog Gone
I don't know how you would believe anything said by any of them beyond a reasonable doubt," Serafinowicz said.

That's not the standard. Any particular witness does not need to be believed beyond a reasonable doubt, only your client's guilt.

How dare you quibble with an esteemed member of the bar and graduate of one of our distinguished Law Schools?

61 posted on 12/23/2006 9:24:12 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: conservative blonde
I will not vote for known adulators either.

Conservative blonde, eh? I don't doubt it. But really what's a little adulation between friends?

62 posted on 12/23/2006 9:30:41 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

BTTT


63 posted on 12/23/2006 11:11:36 PM PST by newzjunkey (Duncan Hunter 2008. Veteran. Conservative. Anti-Illegal. Prolife.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

When this happened in New Jersey, the state responded to the crisis by tripling the ID requirements to get a driver's license. The state, and the press, did not want to dwell on the fact that agents of the state were making a mockery of process, nor did they want to draw attention to the minority status of the people who did it.


64 posted on 12/24/2006 3:58:53 AM PST by sig226 (See my profile for the democrat culture of corruption list.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jrooney
"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."


The President has done an admiral job protecting us from terrorists. One might wonder why the simplest of all security measures, PROTECTING OUR OWN BORDERS, has slipped his mind.
65 posted on 12/24/2006 6:28:02 AM PST by wolfcreek (Please Lord, May I be, one who sees what's in front of me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: jrooney
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.

Being CiC somehow absolves this POLITICIAN from scrutiny and criticism for his FAILURE on other, vital issues (like the border and spending)?

66 posted on 12/24/2006 6:34:02 AM PST by Wormwood (I'm with you in Rockland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Sender
but thanks to her, 2500 illegals now have

the VOTE.

Sheeeeze, we gotta get this under control and it does NOT matter who gets "offended."

67 posted on 12/24/2006 9:18:30 AM PST by TLI (ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA, MMP AZ 2005, TxMMP El Paso Oct+April 2006 TxMMP Laredo - El Paso)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

Belated thanks for the ping. Slowly catching up after the Christmas rush... ;-)


68 posted on 12/26/2006 10:28:05 PM PST by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RaceBannon; scoopscandal; 2Trievers; LoneGOPinCT; Rodney King; sorrisi; MrSparkys; monafelice; ...

Connecticut ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.

69 posted on 12/26/2006 10:28:49 PM PST by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Wormwood; jrooney

Gotta go w/ wormwood on this one. Any civilian can criticize the president. Criticism is only disrespect when acting in a military capacity, such as while wearing the uniform.


70 posted on 12/27/2006 11:50:31 AM PST by jjm2111 (http://www.purveryors-of-truth.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

"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."

OK, so the ringleaders get 7 year sentences, and the one participant who goes to trial faces up to 330 years? Shouldn't prosecutors be offering plea bargains to the lower-downs in the the organization in return for evidence helping them convict the leaders for lengthy terms?


71 posted on 12/27/2006 11:54:51 AM PST by -YYZ-
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Past Your Eyes
Absolutely. My wife says she will never vote for Newt or Rudy. They are both known cheaters. For her, that trumps all the good things one might find in them.

Not meaning to be insulting, but that makes for the ultimate pro-Hillary! argument. Not only is she not a known cheater, but she has been cheated upon. By extension, she should be elected President based on the trumping of all else.

72 posted on 12/27/2006 11:57:41 AM PST by webheart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

If I were on the jury, I'd convict her of every count. If I were the judge, I'd give her the maximum allowed sentence per convicted count and apply them consectutively if allowed by law. I have no sympathy whatsoever for her predicament. She asked for it..


73 posted on 12/27/2006 11:57:49 AM PST by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: 1rudeboy
"Oh my God! Oh my God, my children, my children."

My God? She should call on someone that knows her!!

She put herself, her children, and us in mortal danger.

74 posted on 12/27/2006 11:59:26 AM PST by Tolkien ("It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong." ---Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Past Your Eyes

Totally irrelevant for the purposes of this thread.


75 posted on 12/27/2006 12:00:52 PM PST by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58
"The alleged ringleaders of the scheme... are serving 7-year sentences"

and this is evidence of why plea bargaining should be banned entirely, in all circumstances and forever.

If you have the evidence, then go to trial and if you do not, then set them free.

In this instance, I personally believe they should hang for treason given the circumstances under which they are selling ID papers, but there is certainly no justice in the "ringleader" serving 7 years and someone who chose to go trial receiving 330 years.... this is simply gross.

76 posted on 12/27/2006 3:36:54 PM PST by Lloyd227 (and may God bless Oriana Fallaci)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: webheart

Believe me, she'll never vote for Hillary.


77 posted on 12/27/2006 6:11:22 PM PST by Past Your Eyes (Do what you love and the ridicule will follow.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson