Woman gets jail for issuing fraudulent driver licenses

A former Utah Driver License Division employee who issued licenses to undocumented immigrants has been sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Third District Judge William Barrett on Monday suspended a prison term for Evevia Nez, 47, of Kearns. Instead the woman will begin serving her jail time next week.

Nez pleaded guilty in December to one third-degree felony count of receiving a bribe. Three other identical counts were dismissed.

According to court documents, Nez issued more than 50 licenses in 2008 and 2009.

The undocumented immigrants paid a co-defendant in the case, Pablino Gomez-Plancarte, $1,500 for help obtaining the licenses, according to court documents. Gomez-Plancarte would then take the immigrants to a DMV location where Nez took their photographs and issued the licenses, the charges state. The woman received $150 for each license, according to court documents.

Nez told investigators she issued the licenses in 2008 and 2009, but stopped the next year when new regulations required her to scan in identification documents, the charges state.

Nez also was ordered to complete 24 months' probation as part of her sentence.

A warrant has been issued for Gomez-Plancarte.

afalk@sltrib.com