Three individuals have pleaded guilty to charges related to a bribery and identity fraud scheme at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), where they defrauded the system by offering fake MVA credentials, including drivers’ licenses and learners’ permits, for $600 each.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the convictions of Shanice Tiera Smith, 35, Erica Danielle Watson, 30, and Larry Antonio Marshall, 55, all of Baltimore. The scheme began in the spring of 2022 when Marshall, a contract custodian at the MVA’s Reisterstown Road branch, and Smith, a customer agent, worked alongside Watson, who advertised the fake MVA credentials on Instagram. Watson used social media to solicit customers and arranged for two individuals to take written driving tests on behalf of at least 66 applicants. Smith facilitated this process by allowing the tests to be completed by impersonators while accepting payment for the services.
Smith and Watson then used a portion of the funds from the fake license transactions to bribe Smith for her role in the scheme.
Smith pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and bribery on September 27, 2024. She was sentenced to five years of incarceration, all suspended in favor of three years of supervised probation.
Marshall and Watson both pleaded guilty to felony identity fraud, conspiracy to commit identity fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to commit bribery. Marshall was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, with all but 17 months suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation. Watson was sentenced to 10 years, with all but six months suspended, and three years of probation.
The fraudulent actions were discovered through the combined efforts of the Maryland Attorney General’s Criminal Division, including the Fraud and Corruption Unit, and the Maryland MVA Security and Investigations team. Attorney General Brown praised the investigative team for their work on the case and thanked State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Ivan Bates for his support in the prosecution.
