Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Brazilian national living illegally in Boston was sentenced on April 9 for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain driver’s licenses for people not eligible, mainly illegal aliens. Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade, 27, received a sentence of time served—450 days in prison—and now faces deportation. He pleaded guilty on March 6 to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents.
The case highlights efforts by authorities to address the fraudulent procurement of government-issued identification documents, which can have broader implications for public safety and regulatory enforcement.
According to court records, from November 2020 through September 2024, Nascimento De Andrade and alleged co-conspirators obtained driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who lived in states where such individuals were not allowed licenses. Before July 2023, Massachusetts did not permit illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses; New York began allowing it in 2019. The conspirators helped clients acquire New York licenses even if they did not live there and later did the same with Massachusetts licenses after state law changed.
The group collected money from customers in exchange for these services. In one instance described by prosecutors, Nascimento De Andrade accepted $450 cash at a Plymouth Registry of Motor Vehicles parking lot in return for providing a fake cable bill showing false residency information. The operation involved manipulating online testing procedures by using pre-taken photos and forging driving school certificates needed by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV). They also transported clients across state lines and provided them with fraudulent documents at DMV locations.
Authorities allege that more than 1,000 applications were made through this scheme; over 600 fraudulent licenses were obtained and hundreds of thousands of dollars collected. Two other defendants—Cesar Agusto Marin Reis and Helbert Costa Generoso—were previously sentenced in connection with the case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the sentencing along with federal partners from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistance came from multiple law enforcement agencies across several states.
Officials remind that details contained within charging documents are allegations only; remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
