Guv: 10 LI drivers had multiple licenses

New facial recognition technology led to charges against 51 commercial drivers, including 10 from Long Island, who are accused of having multiple licenses, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said this week.

The frauds were uncovered using technology that reviewed the records of more than 600,000 commercial driver's licenses issued by New York, Cuomo said in a release Thursday.

Those arrested held "multiple driver's licenses using an alias," according to the release.

Some used fake addresses, others fake birth dates or names, officials said.

The Long Islanders arrested this week include Vincent M. Hart of Hunters Lane, New Cassel, who drives for Independent Coach Corp., according to the release. The Hewlett-based company operates school buses and one of the owners, Nancy Quaas, said Friday she was surprised to learn of the situation.

"It's quite upsetting, honestly," she said. "Sometimes, you have a gut feeling. But he passed all the stipulations."

Quaas told Newsday that an abstract from the state Department of Motor Vehicles had certified Hart held a valid license. She said Hart had worked for the family-owned Independent since last September.

The first red flag came about three weeks ago when the company learned Hart had been placed on a disqualified list. But she said the reason for that disqualification was not clear.

She said Independent notified Hart that he had been disqualified. Hart told them it was a misunderstanding and would be cleared up, but he never returned to the company, she said.

Four of those arrested drove for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, but it was not immediately clear what companies the rest of the drivers worked for or what they drove. Officials said those arrested drove all types of commercial vehicles.

"With some high-tech help, the state can now quickly find drivers who think it's acceptable to use an alias to illegally get more than one license," Cuomo said in the statement.

Thanks to the technology, authorities have arrested more than 800 drivers with multiple licenses under aliases in New York since February 2010, officials said.

Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said: "Whether they're hiding a lack of training or a dangerous driving record, those who use fraudulent commercial driver's licenses are a threat to public safety when they're behind the wheel."

Those arrested were charged with first-degree offering a false instrument and second-degree falsifying of business records. Others with "excessive" unpaid tickets were also charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, the release said.

In addition to Hart, who was charged with also having a license in the name of Vincent H. Tyson, the other Long Islanders arrested and their alleged violations are:

Hashmat Shah (aka Naveed Shah), Beach Avenue, Copiague;

Frank Romanek (different date of birth), Beck Street, Uniondale;

Shola T. Johnson (aka Lee G. Edwards, aka Kevin Starling), Austin Avenue, Amity Harbor;

Jean U. Paris (aka Ulrick Joseph), Kinkel Street, New Cassel;

Pierre R. Cesar (aka Pierre Malcolm), Brookside Avenue, Babylon;

Saulon Eduardo Montoyta (aka Felipe E. Montoya), Leonard Boulevard, New Hyde Park;

John M. Concepcion (aka Juan M. Mosca), Belmont Avenue, Long Beach;

Ralph Codio (aka Ralph Godio), East Melrose Street, North Valley Stream;

David Larry (aka Lawrence Lipkin), Carney Street, Glen Cove.

The MTA employees arrested are:

Kipkino A. Primus (aka Kipkino Stephens), West 33rd Street, Brooklyn;

Milton S. Richards (aka Milton Richards with a different date of birth), 220th Place, Jamaica;

Shawzair Khan (aka Tyron Osca), 164th Street, Jamaica;

Ramon A. Acosta (aka Luis Nieves), Saratoga Avenue, Brooklyn.

The other commercial drivers arrested are:

Leroi M. Robinson (aka Lararn M. Robinson, aka Emanuel K. Johnson), Howard Avenue, Brooklyn;

Guei G. Michel (aka Traore Abou), Nicholas Avenue, Manhattan;

Mody S. Barrie (aka Ibrahima S. Barry, aka Alpha M. Barry), 112th Street, Morningside;

Charles Webb (aka Felix M. Webb), 166th Street, Addisleigh Park;

John Lopez (aka John Santiago) Villa Avenue, Bronx;

Abel F. Louis (aka Louini Louis), Avenue D, Brooklyn;

Ronel Pierre (aka Carol A. Morgan), East 34th Street, Brooklyn, currently works for Empire Paratransit Corp;

Bernard Cradle (aka Rodman Cradle), Alabama Avenue, Brooklyn;

Zhen Shui Zheng (aka Swai Zhen Ming), Madison Street, Manhattan;

Franck Baptiste (aka Patrick Rowe), 118th Avenue, Addisleigh Park;

Sajid M. Choudhry (aka Sajid Mohmood), 164th Street, Jamaica;

Talik T. Bey (aka Lionel D. Lewis), Hurlbut Street, Albany;

Maximo F. Yaguana (aka Manuel Salmas), 128th Street, College Point;

Nicky C. Ogedegbe (aka Charles Ogedegbe), 145th Avenue, Jamaica;

Ahmadou Tambadou (aka Ahmadou Tambadou with a different date of birth), 57th Avenue, Corona;

Roland Jeanty (aka Rolando Jeantyle), Brookhaven Avenue, Far Rockaway;

Shabaz Muhammad (aka Muhammad Shahbaz), 188th Street, Flushing;

Hennessy Verlus (aka Jean Beauvais), Tremper Avenue, Eddyville;

Amgad B. Hammad (aka Amgad B. Ibrahim, aka Amgad A. Hammad), Vleigh Place, Flushing;

Ahmeh M. Ali (aka Ahmed S. Mohamed), Skillman Avenue, Flushing;

Jun-Shu Lee (aka Joon Soo Lee), 41st Street, Astoria;

Garry V. Bernadeau (aka Amos Alce), 152nd Street, Addisleigh Park;

Muhammad Tariq (aka Tariq Hussain), Newkirk Avenue, Brooklyn;

Satwant Singh (aka Nick Singh), 120th Street, Jamaica;

Milton C. Urena (aka Milton S. Urena), 93rd Street, Flushing;

Aston H. Whilby (aka Vincent Whilby), Remsen Avenue, Brooklyn;

Tara Chand (aka Raj Kumar Verma), Broadway, Elmhurst;

Wesley Robinson (aka Jovell K. Sayles), 217th Street, Bellerose Manor;

Adama Doumbia (aka Souleymane A. Doumbia), Boston Road, Bronx;

Valery Duvert (aka Eliassaint Deshomme), Montgomery Street, Brooklyn;

Ramon S. Delmonte (aka Felix R. Ortiz), Creston Avenue, Bronx, who works for TLC Transportation Corp of Westchester;

Orlando Bonilla (aka Diordy Camilo), Calhoun Avenue, Bronx;

Errol G. Robinson (aka Christian M. Mardiant), 230th Street, Jamaica;

Michelet Louis-Jean (aka Mikhael Benyssashkar), 229th Street, Jamaica;

Roswald Jean-Jacques (aka Ronald Jean-Jacques), 193rd Street, Hollis;

Milan R. Parik (aka Milan Hunter), 56th Road, Flushing;

Abel A. Tavares (aka Abel Taveras with a different date of birth), Van Nest Avenue, Bronx.