Courtesy of the Harris County District Clerk’s Office
Harris County Criminal Justice Center
A Texas Department of Motor Vehicles employee in the Houston area and an alleged co-conspirator have been accused of being part of a car title laundering scheme.
The DMV worker, Carlisha Haywood, 41, has been charged with one count of bribery and two counts of tampering with a government record. Xavier Goodwin Washington, 28, also has been charged with two counts of tampering with a government record.
According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Haywood and Goodwin Washington were involved in an alleged scheme that would swap the VIN numbers of stolen vehicles with the numbers of vehicles of the same make and model. With the “clean” VIN numbers, the stolen vehicles could then be sold without being identified as stolen, the DA’s office said.
The DA’s office accuses Haywood of accepting bribes from Goodwin Washington in exchange for fraudulent car titles.
According to court documents, Goodwin Washington was arrested on June 24 in Harris County after he was allegedly found to be in possession of a fraudulent vehicle title, which is considered a government record in Texas. Haywood was arrested on the same day under the same allegation.
Haywood’s attorney, James McKenney, told Houston Public Media on Friday that he looks forward to telling his client’s side of the story.
“We just got to hear the state’s side of the story — their probable cause and accusation against her,” he said. “But that is not her side of the story. … As the process plays out, there’ll be more we’ll have to say.”
A defense attorney for Goodwin Washington was not listed in online court records as of Friday.
Bribery and tampering with a government record are both second-degree felonies. Each crime is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
The DA’s office said the investigation into the alleged scheme is ongoing.