Connecticut man facing possible prison time for fraudulently obtaining driver’s licenses for immigrants in New York and Massachusetts

BOSTON – A Connecticut man pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, primarily undocumented immigrants.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 28-yar-old Cesar Agusto Martin Reis of Waterbury admitted to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess identification documents with intent to transfer and one count of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawful identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman set sentencing for September 10, 2025. Reis was charged in December 2024 alongside four co-conspirators.

From November 2020 to September 2024, Reis and his alleged co-conspirators orchestrated a scheme to secure driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants who lived in states where they were ineligible for licenses. Before July 2023, Massachusetts prohibited undocumented immigrants from obtaining driver’s licenses, while New York allowed it starting in 2019. The group fraudulently obtained New York licenses for non-residents, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023, Massachusetts licenses for out-of-state undocumented immigrants. They charged approximately $1,400 per customer.

In New York, driver’s license applicants needed to pass a written permit test, complete driver’s education, and provide proof of identity and residency. To bypass the permit test, Reis and his co-conspirators allegedly used photos of customers to make it appear they were taking the test, while the conspirators completed it online. They also forged driver’s education certificates with falsified signatures from New York driving schools. For residency verification, they provided customers with fraudulent documents claiming New York residency, drove them from Massachusetts to New York DMV locations, and arranged for permits and licenses to be mailed to New York addresses they controlled. They also scheduled and transported customers for road tests in New York.

In Massachusetts, the group allegedly used fake foreign passports as proof of identity for customers applying for licenses. Overall, they fraudulently applied for licenses for over 1,000 customers, secured licenses for more than 600, and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The conspiracy charge carries up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The possession charge carries up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing will follow U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.

The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Kelly Larco-Ward. Assistance came from the New York DMV Division of Field Investigation, Boston, Danbury, and Waterbury Police Departments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting.

The allegations against the remaining defendants are unproven, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.