FORT WORTH -- A former Texas Department of Public Safety license examiner and an accomplice have pleaded guilty to producing false documents for migrant workers to allow them to get a driver's license.
The women charged the workers from $2,000 to $4,000 for each license at a Hurst DPS office, according to federal court documents.Damaris Moreno-Harter, 37, of North Richland Hills, who worked at the Hurst office, pleaded guilty in a Fort Worth federal court to a charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and transfer identification documents.Doris Ann Phillips, 43, of Irving, her civilian accomplice, pleaded guilty to the same charge.The two, who are free on a personal recognizance bond, are scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14, 2013. They face a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and supervised release for three years.They could not be reached for comment Tuesday.Warren St John of Fort Worth, Phillips' attorney, declined to comment Tuesday. Peter Fleury of Fort Worth, Moreno-Harter's attorney, could not be reached.Federal court documents provide this account of the case:The two began their operation in early 2011 and continued it until March 2011.In early 2011, Phillips prepared false documents such as birth certificates and marriage licenses that would appear to make migrant workers legal in the United States. Migrant workers are legally prohibited from getting a driver's license in Texas.After the workers got their fake paperwork, Phillips would accompany them to the Hurst DPS office and help them complete driver's license applications.She then guided them to Moreno-Harter's station and Moreno-Harter, knowing they were not U.S. citizens, would provide them with driver's licenses.Authorities filed federal cases against the women because the crime affected interstate and foreign commerce.Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763Twitter: @mingoramirezjrHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
