Two DMV employees arrested for selling phony licenses

Tyrone G. Baxter, 36, of South Plainfield, and Betty J. Dunkins, 38, of Trenton, were arrested and charged with tampering with public records. Baxter was also charged with official misconduct.

Baxter and Dunkins are accused of producing and selling New Jersey Driver’s Licenses with fictitious names and addresses. Baxter and Dunkins worked as clerks at the DMV agency on South Stockton Street.

Baxter, who was arrested on Wednesday, told State Police detectives that he created 20 to 25 phony licenses, including one for himself under another identity. Dunkins was arrested on Thursday.

State Police detectives assigned to the Division of Motor Vehicles’ Document Fraud Squad began investigating Baxter and Duncans in November 2002.

“In an effort to fix this ailing agency, we have analyzed every facet of DMV operations. We have been stunned by the lapses in security that allow for opportunities for fraud and corruption,” said DMV Director Diane Legreide. “It’s imperative that we protect the citizens of this state from identity theft and document fraud.”

Last year, DMV mandated criminal background checks of the 500 employees at the 45 statewide agencies. Legreide said employees who refused were terminated but many chose to quit instead. As part of the proposed Fix DMV legislation, DMV employees who are currently state employees will be required to undergo criminal background checks.

“We are extremely serious about addressing the security breaches at DMV,” Legreide said. “We will not tolerate any employee or customer who participates in the creation and trafficking of fraudulent documents.”

In the past six months, more than 80 people – including 14 DMV employees - have been arrested for using fraudulent documents to obtain New Jersey driver’s licenses at DMV agencies.