DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The Dallas Police Department Auto Theft Task Force shut down a fake paper license plates tag mill and arrested Wayland Wayne Wright, 43, in connection to it.
Wright now faces a charge of tampering with a governmental record with intent to defraud, which is a state jail felony.
Detectives said a tip provided by a citizen led them to the location in the the 3600 block of Sunnyvale Street where they made an undercover buy.
On April 20, they executed a search warrant where additional fake paper tags were recovered as well as $3,000 in cash. Police said Wright later admitted to printing multiple fake and fraudulent paper tags.
Just last month, CBS 11 News reported on Texas lawmakers who said it’s time to crack down on the lucrative enterprise involving fake paper license plates.
There are thousands of fake paper tags on Texas streets, due to the Texas DMV’s online system making them easy to obtain, according to authorities.
“They go online, fill out an application, put up a fee, post a bond, get a username and password, and they’re in the business of printing tags,” said Captain Ed Martin of Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.
Martin said the paper plates are purchased by fake car dealers, who frequently sell them online to drivers who are, for example, avoiding inspection, toll fees or covering up a crime. And if another driver gets into an accident with one of those drivers…
“Somebody’s going to pay the price for it. And, more than likely, that won’t be the individual that was driving that car,” Martin said, adding that, “Texas is a laughingstock on the topic compared to the rest of the country.”
“When it comes to paper tags in the United States, Texas leads the way,” he said.
A Texas DMV spokesperson said stopping the production and use of these tags is its top priority. Starting in 2020, it can now deny an auto dealer access to the database if fraud is identified. Martin said he’s cautiously optimistic changes are ahead.
“There are some changes coming. I think for the best.”