Texas DPS Revokes 215 CDLs Amid Scandal, Admits There May Be More

San Antonio, TX – Three men have now been indicted for numerous crimes resulting from an alleged commercial driver’s license (CDL) scheme and Transportation Nation Network (TNN) has learned authorities have since revoked the more than 200 CDLs in question.

According to an indictment handed down July 23, 2019, Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) employee, 62-year-old Alonzo Blackman, conspired with two Cuban citizens residing in Texas, Marino Maury Diaz Leon, 52, of San Antonio and Fernando Guardado Vazquez, 40, of Pflugerville, to fraudulently issue 215 CDLs to mostly immigrant applicants who failed to pass or even take the skills portion of the required testing.

As part of the alleged scheme, Vazquez and Diaz Leon provided to Blackman the name and information of the applicant.

Blackman then falsely certified that applicant had passed the skills portion of the CDL test and prepared and printed a temporary CDL license for that applicant.

Blackman then delivered that temporary CDL to Vazquez or Diaz Leon (depending on who requested it) and was paid by Vazquez or Diaz Leon for his actions.

“After the issuance of the temporary CDL, TxDPS sent or caused to be sent a permanent CDL through United States mail to the applicant,” the indictment says.

TNN first reported in July that authorities indicated Blackman (who had not yet been identified) received “tens of thousands of dollars” over the course of the scam that lasted from January 1, 2017 to on or about June 30, 2019.

FBI officials say they were alerted to the alleged scheme after a TxDPS audit in December 2018 found that Blackman “had an unusual number of CDLs being issued.”

Following the audit, an investigation by TxDPS and the Texas Rangers identified 215 CDLs had been fraudulently issued during that time.

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According to the indictment, the majority of the fraudulently obtained CDLs were created for Cuban citizens residing within the United States.

Court documents show that 197 went to Cuban nationals, 11 to U.S. citizens, one to a Dominican Republic national, one to an Ethiopian, one to an Iraqi, one to a Puerto Rican, one to a Ukraine national and two to Mexican nationals.

TxDPS officials have since revoked each of the CDLs alleged to have been unlawfully obtained, according to a recent TxDPS statement.

However, according to authorities, more CDLs could have been issued in this scheme.

A recent report by local news outlet San Antonio Express News confirms TxDPS officials are still investigating the extent of the scam.

“As the investigation is ongoing, we are still trying to determine the full and exact time frame,” TxDPS said in a statement.

As for the three men indicted in the scheme, they are each facing charges of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to produce identification documents without lawful authority and one count of conspiracy to transfer identification documents created without lawful authority.

Vazquez and Diaz Leon have pleaded not guilty and are expected to stand trial beginning October 7, 2019.

Blackman has yet to enter a plea, but authorities say he has admitted his role and been cooperative with the investigation.

In fact, FBI special agent Monroe Giese testified at a July 8 bail hearing for Vazquez and Diaz Leon that Blackman helped investigators obtain videotaped evidence of some bribes the pair paid Blackman.

Stay with TransportationNation.com for the latest in this ongoing case.