Two Sentenced to Prison for Sale of Fraudulent ID Cards

(Phoenix, Ariz. – May 10, 2006) Attorney General Terry Goddard announced the sentencing of two defendants for selling fake resident alien identification cards. Carmen Tolle, 42, and Rachel Gallegos, 37, were sentenced Tuesday for operating a fraud scheme that promised victims legitimate resident alien cards, also known as “green cards,” but delivered fake cards or no cards. Both defendants are from Phoenix.

Between May 2003 and May 2005, the defendants charged dozens of people up to $3,000 each for a supposedly legitimate resident alien card. In an effort to show their legitimacy, the defendants put each victim through an application process that included having their fingerprints taken. The defendants attracted victims from around the country, most of whom were undocumented aliens.

Tolle was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison, and Gallegos was sentenced to four years in prison. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Arthur Anderson also gave Tolle five years of supervised probation after her release from prison, and the judge ordered each defendant to pay restitution of $75,680.

The criminal case was a joint investigation of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.