DEFENDANT ENTERS GUILTY PLEA FOR
UNLAWFUL PRODUCTION OF ID DOCUMENTS FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS
[KNOXVILLE, TN]—Briseida Escalona-Lara, 46, of Knoxville, pled guilty Tuesday in United States District Court, to a one-count Information charging her with "conspiring to produce and cause the production of unauthorized identification documents, that is, Class TD driver's licenses," in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028(f).
Sentencing is set for Escalona-Lara on August 29, 2006, in United States District Court in Knoxville, Tenenssee, before the Honorable Leon Jordan, United States District Court Judge. She faces a sentence of up to15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
From about October 2004 through July 2005, the Defendant conspired with others, including Zeneida Concepcion Rivera and Ignacio Mendoza, to arrange for and help illegal aliens fraudulently obtain Tennessee Class TD driver’s licenses. During the above time period, Rivera and Mendoza transported illegal aliens from New Jersey to Knoxville, Tennessee, for the purpose of getting the aliens Tennessee driver’s licenses. Rivera received approximately $950 for each alien whom she helped obtain a driver’s license. Rivera and Mendoza made approximately two trips a month during the above time period. When they arrived in the Knoxville area, Rivera provided the aliens with documents, such as mail and vehicle registrations, that showed a Knoxville address. She provided these to the aliens so that they could falsely claim to the driver’s license examiners that they resided in Tennessee.
On the above described trips, the Defendant met with Rivera and notarized documents for the aliens knowing those documents would be used by the aliens at the driver’s license examining station to fraudulently obtain driver’s licenses. On numerous occasions the Defendant allowed the aliens brought by Rivera to use her vehicle to take the driver’s “road” test at the examining station. The Defendant knew the aliens she was helping get licenses were illegal aliens who did not reside in Tennessee.
Rivera previously pled guilty to the same charge and was sentenced in United States District Court to 46 months imprisonment.
The investigation leading to the indictment in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Theodore represented the United States.
For additional information on this case, please contact Acting U.S.Attorney, James R. Dedrick, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Theodore or Public Information Officer Sharry Dedman-Beard at 865-545-4167. |