KYTC investigation leads to five indictments for licensing fraud

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear announced that five Louisville residents have been federally indicted following a state and federal investigation into driver’s licensing fraud involving two Kentucky Transportation Cabinet offices.

The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in Louisville on Feb. 4, names 32-year-old Donnita Wilson, 27-year-old Aariel Matthews, 32-year-oldRaul Tellez Ojeda, 37-year-old Lazaro Alejandro Castello Rojas and 41-year-old Robert Danger Correa. They are charged with multiple counts of mail fraud, fraud conspiracy, honest services fraud, money laundering and unlawful production of identification documents.

Officials say the investigation began after KYTC identified irregularities during a routine review of credential applications and immediately notified law enforcement. Authorities allege the defendants accepted illegal fees ranging from $200 to $1,500 to improperly expedite driver’s licenses for legally present, non-U.S. citizens who had not completed required testing.

The case was investigated by the Kentucky State Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and several federal agencies, with several defendants arraigned on Monday, Feb. 9. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of mail fraud, mail fraud conspiracy, honest services mail fraud and money laundering and a maximum of 15 years for each count of unlawful production of identification documents.