Former East County DMV Employee Will Be Sentenced in Bribery, Fraud Case This Spring

Sentencing is scheduled April 25 for a former Department of Motor Vehicles employee who admitted taking part in a widespread bribery, document fraud and witness tampering case affecting DMV offices in Southern California.

Jeffrey Bednarek, who worked at the El Cajon DMV office, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal conspiracy and other charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.

Bednarek was a Licensing Registration Examiner responsible for conducting driving tests for driver's license applicants. He admitted that, beginning in at least April 2009, and continuing up to at least April 26, 2012, he conspired with his co-defendants to commit federal program bribery and identification document fraud.

Bednarek, 54, falsely entered "passing" scores for both written and behind-the-wheel tests for applicants who applied for regular (Class C) and commercial (Class A) driver's licenses in exchange for bribes, according to his plea agreement.

The defendant also acknowledged that he directed others to enter false "passing" test scores and that he created false driving test score sheets to create the appearance that the applicant had completed the test.

Bednarek admitted that he produced more than 100 fraudulent driver's permits and licenses, and that applicants paid more than $50,000 in total bribes for fraudulent permits and licenses that he produced.

The defendant also admitted that he tried to persuade a government witness to alter his testimony.

All 30 of the defendants charged in the corruption case have pleaded guilty, prosecutors said. Many of them have been sentenced and several others are awaiting sentencing.

—City News Service