8 arrested in Florida undocumented immigrant driver's license scheme: officials | FOX 51 Gainesville
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8 arrested in Florida undocumented immigrant driver's license scheme: officials

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Published  June 13, 2025 2:03pm EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando
Illegal immigrant driver's license scheme busted

Illegal immigrant driver's license scheme busted

Eight people have been arrested in Florida for their alleged involvement in a driver’s license scheme targeting undocumented immigrants.

The Brief

    • Eight people have been arrested in Florida for their alleged involvement in a driver’s license scheme targeting undocumented immigrants.
    • Authorities say two DMV employees in Bay County issued licenses without required testing in exchange for money, with transactions arranged through third-party intermediaries.
    • The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are expected.

LYNN HAVEN, Fla. - Eight people have been arrested in Florida in connection with an alleged driver’s license scheme involving undocumented immigrants.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrests during a news conference Thursday afternoon, joined by Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford.

What we know:

According to officials, the Bay County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Secuirty Invetigations (HSI) probe uncovered  two compromised DMV employees offering undocumented aliens driver's licenses in exchange for money.

During the investigation, authorities discovered that two DMV employees were issuing an abnormally high number of driver's licenses. Upon reviewing DMV surveillance footage, investigators confirmed that the individuals receiving these licenses were not completing the legally required tests. Instead, they were circumventing the process and traveling from across Florida to Bay County to obtain their licenses.

The probe also revealed that the individuals seeking these licenses were connected through a third-party intermediary. These intermediaries facilitated the transactions, with payments being made to  Bancelie Velazco and Demetrius Smith, II, either directly at the DMV or through a cash app. 

The individuals arrested include Bancelie Velazco, Demetrius Smith II, Niurbis Rosales, Leonardo Gutierrez, Hung Du, Isbrieta Parra, Zoila Gonzalez-Pena, and Mirna Fernandez. 

Charges include DMV employee issue unlawful driver’s license, official misconduct, and unlawful possession of a driver’s license, officials said.

The investigation is still active, and more charges are pending.

What they're saying:

"Florida's Sheriffs are on the front lines of our state's fight against illegal immigration, and Sheriff Ford is rooting out the corruption they bring into our state," Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a statement. "My warning to any illegal alien coming to Florida to commit further crimes: we are going to find you, hold you accountable, and then send you back to where you came from."

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the office of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on June 12, 2025. 

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