Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 22, 1990 TAG: 9004200246
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By NEAL THOMPSON NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
But many college-age students don't realize that and don't understand the consequences of the crime if they're caught, Montgomery County General District Judge Thomas Frith said.
"It amazes me that a kid in college has not thought about the fact that it's wrong to alter an ID," Frith said.
In an attempt to simultaneously punish and teach those who use fake IDs, Frith has begun sentencing violators to a new Young Offender Program.
One goal of the program, run by the New River Valley Alcohol Safety Action Program, is to make students under age 21 convicted on a fake ID charge aware of the consequences of that charge.
"Drinking has become an expected social outlet on college campuses," said Susan Marchon, executive director of the program. "So they may realize getting a fake ID is wrong. But I don't think they understand the consequences of that action."
Frith gave an example of the consequences of getting caught:
A few years ago, a Virginia Tech student was arrested by police for having a fake driver's license. She was sent before Frith, who convicted her on a fraud charge.
After graduating, the girl wanted to take a real estate board test to become a real estate agent.
She wasn't permitted to take the test because she had been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude - fraud.
"It broke my heart," Frith said.
Frith later started convicting fake ID users using a different code section which didn't permanently mar a person's record with the "fraud" stigma.
But since February, Frith has been sentencing most fake ID users to the Young Offender Program at a cost of $150 to the person convicted.
Marchon said those sent to the program must attend weekly, two-hour group meetings for eight weeks. They must pass an alcohol breath test at each meeting.
After the first eight weeks, they are put on probation for six to eight months. At the end of that period, during which they must adhere to eight terms of probation, a report is made back to the court on the person's completion of the program.
Frith said that if people charged with drinking in public successfully complete the program, he'll drop the charge.
But those charged with using a fake ID to buy alcohol will be convicted and be ordered to pay a small fine, even if they've completed the program, Frith said.
Since February, about 70 people from Radford and Blacksburg have been sentenced to the program. Frith said he sends between four and eight students to the program each week.
General District Judge Ray Grubbs, who sits in Christiansburg and Radford, also has been using the program. But the fake ID problem is more profound in Blacksburg, where an average of one out of 10 criminal cases in district court involves fake IDs.
On last Wednesday, 11 of 86 cases involved charges of altered, false or fake drivers' licenses.
And Wednesday this week, 11 people arrested two weeks ago in connection with a sophisticated operation that made and sold fake Pennsylvania drivers' licenses will be tried. Frith will hear the cases.
Frith said he has agonized over how to deal with the rash of fake IDs in Blacksburg.
When he became a judge four years ago, his standard maximum sentence was a $100 fine and 30 days in jail. The following year, he raised that to $200 and 60 days and last year he again raised it to $300 and 90 days.
The Young Offender Program may be the answer Frith has been looking for, but it's too early to tell. The program's first group finishes its eight weeks of meetings this week.
Marchon said she has heard positive comments from those in the program. "One person even wanted to bring a friend back to the group with them," she said.
by CNB