A man licensed to conduct state driving tests has been indicted after federal prosecutors allege he took money to sign off on exams that students didn’t pass or didn’t even take.
As a result of the investigation, the Colorado Department of Revenue last month revoked more than 1,500 driver’s licenses or learner’s permits it says were obtained as part of the scheme.
According to the indictment, made public Wednesday, 53-year-old Dennis Dean Sieving is accused of accepting about $50 apiece to certify that a person passed a written or driving-skills test as part of obtaining a driver’s license. Those tests, though, either never happened or weren’t completed successfully, the indictment alleges.
Sieving also allegedly faked written-exam results for people who did not speak or read English well, according to the indictment.
In an interview with 9News last month — as agents brought their investigation to a close — Sieving denied the accusations. “I have proof I turned in my paperwork that I gave them the test,” Sieving told the station.
Most of those who obtained driver’s licenses as part of the scheme are immigrants from the southeast Asian nation of Myanmar, said Mark Godshall, the second-in-command at the Denver office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which partnered with state Revenue Department investigators on the case. Some of the immigrants traveled from other states to obtain licenses, Godshall said.
Godshall said more arrests and spin-off investigations are possible. But Godshall said those who received fraudulent licenses aren’t likely to be prosecuted.
“It does seriously impact the public safety of our communities,” Godshall said of the scheme. “If we have individuals driving who shouldn’t be licensed to drive, we’re all at risk.”
Sieving worked at the Arvada branch of the American Driving Academy. As part of the job, he was licensed to administer written and driving-skills tests on behalf of the state, according to the indictment. Once Sieving signed off on test results, the applicants submitted the documentation to the state to obtain a driver’s license.
The indictment charges Sieving in federal court with 20 counts of mail fraud and one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds. He was arrested Wednesday morning.
If convicted, Sieving could face up to 10 years in prison.
In a statement, Roxy Huber, executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue, said state motor-vehicle staffers worked with the affected drivers to ensure they could retake their driving tests quickly to prove they deserve a license.
