GREENBELT, Md. — A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to produce and transfer ID documents without lawful authority.
According to his plea agreement, from at least July 2015 to March 2016, Warner Antonio Portillo of Manassas, Virginia conspired with two employees of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration who worked in the Largo, Maryland branch office to produce and transfer Maryland driver's licenses without lawful authority.
Specifically, Portillo and others met with prospective Maryland driver’s license applicants who were willing to pay money to obtain a driver’s license illegally, typically because the applicants were aliens without legal status in the United States or were otherwise unable to obtain a lawfully issued driver’s license.
The applicants paid Portillo and his co-conspirators between $800 and $5,000 in cash for each fraudulently issued Maryland driver’s license.
According to the plea, at least 276 Maryland driver's licenses were produced and distributed.
Portillo faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for the conspiracy. As part of his plea agreement, Portillo will also be required to pay a money judgment of at least $276,000, which constitutes assets derived from or obtained by Portillo as a result of the conspiracy.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19.
