James T. Jacks
Acting United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

FEDERAL GRAND JURY CHARGES TEXAS DPS OFFICER
IN FRAUDULENT IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT CONSPIRACY

DALLAS — A federal grand jury in Dallas returned a superseding indictment earlier this week, that was unsealed today, charging Alvaro Ivan Adame with conspiracy to transfer unlawfully issued identification documents announced acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Adame, 40, of Wichita Falls, Texas, was arrested this morning at the Texas Department of Public Safety in Dallas and is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeff Kaplan at 1:00 p.m. today for his initial appearance.

Adame is a Lieutenant with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and has worked in its Drivers License Division as a supervisor at offices on Northwest Highway in Dallas and in Wichita Falls, Texas.

“This case was investigated by the ICE-led Document & Benefit Fraud Task Force which is comprised of more than 30 federal, state and local agencies,” said John Chakwin Jr., special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Dallas. “The Task Force takes advantage of each individual agency’s expertise and law-enforcement authority. Ultimately, we share our resources to target those who are using fraudulent documents and/or are fraudulently receiving government benefits.” Chakwin oversees north Texas and the State of Oklahoma.

This superseding indictment also charges Ruben Gomez-Luevano, a/k/a Ruben Gomez, 35, of Dallas, in the conspiracy. Gomez-Luevano and co-defendant Reyes David Martinez, 21, also of Dallas, were originally indicted in December 2008 on the same charge. Martinez has signed documents, that have been filed in Court, in which he agrees to plead guilty to his role in the conspiracy. He is scheduled to formally enter that plea on April 9, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez. Both Gomez-Luevano and Martinez remain in federal custody.

According to the plea documents signed by Martinez, as part of the conspiracy, Martinez transported individuals from the Dallas area to New Mexico and helped them obtain fraudulent New Mexico residency documents that were then presented to the Motor Vehicle Division in New Mexico. Martinez then transported the individuals from New Mexico back to Dallas. The identification documents were mailed to addresses in New Mexico purporting to belong to the individuals, however, the individuals falsely claimed to the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division that they were New Mexico residents.

The superseding indictment alleges that beginning in January 2008 and continuing until January 15, 2009, Ruben Gomez-Luevano and DPS Lieutenant Alvara Ivan Adame conspired together, and with others, to knowingly transfer identification documents, namely New Mexico Drivers Licenses, New Mexico Identification Cards and Texas Drivers Licenses and Texas Identification Cards, that were produced without lawful authority, and sent through the U.S. mail. As part of the conspiracy, Gomez-Luevano would bring the individuals to Texas DPS offices, including the office managed by Lieutenant Adame, to exchange the New Mexico licenses for Texas licenses.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, however, the conspiracy to transfer unlawfully issued identification documents charge carries a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jacks praised the excellent investigative efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force and the cooperation of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cara Foos Pierce is prosecuting the case.

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