Federal authorities arrested a Prince George’s County couple suspected of bribing a Maryland motor vehicle worker to create dozens of fake driver’s licenses, including for criminals, according to charging documents.
Patrick Gordon, 31, and Natelie Palmer, 34, of Upper Marlboro, were charged Monday with bribery and producing illegal identification documents. Gordon was being held until a detention hearing. Palmer was released but could not be reached Tuesday.
According to documents filed in federal court in Greenbelt, Gordon and Palmer shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to a Largo MVA branch teller named Evita Baker, and a go-between who used to work at the driver’s license office.
On Dec. 13, an undercover U.S. Secret Service agent approached Baker and slipped her a notepad with a fictitious name and address, and $1,000 in cash hidden between the pages, charging papers said. Baker didn’t ask for supporting documentation, and the agent watched as she place the money, plus a $45 administrative fee, into a black handbag.
She then created a Maryland driver’s license in the name provided by the Secret Service agent.
Baker, of Forestville, later confessed to accepting the kickbacks and producing at least 50 false licenses since September 2007, prosecutors said. Baker said she received the money and names from former co-worker Avanti Blackwell, who left the Largo branch two years ago.
Blackwell, of Accokeek, told authorities that she acted as the middle woman for Baker and Gordon and Palmer, documents said. Blackwell told authorities that their clientele included criminals who needed new identification documents.
Blackwell provided Baker with index cards containing the ID information for the fraudulent licenses. At work, instead of changing the “Now Serving” number, Baker would call out a name on the index card, then issue the license, no questions asked.
After work, Baker and Blackwell would meet at a gas station and split the bribe money evenly, prosecutors said. They were paid about $1,500 per license.
Baker and Blackwell have not been charged, prosecutors said. A spokeswoman with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maryland said she could not comment on charging decisions, but the investigation is continuing.
Baker was fired from the state agency Friday, said Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration spokesman Buel Young. Young said he did not know of any other employees fired in connection with the investigation.
