Employees of three used-car dealerships in southern Ohio face charges of selling fake IDs to illegal immigrants and forging documents to help them buy cars.
About 20 law enforcement vehicles raided Credit Auto Sales and Paul's Auto Sales and Service and Pay Less Auto Sales in Hamilton, as well as Pay Less Auto Salvage in Middletown.
They arrested seven people accused in 34 grand-jury indictments of tampering with records and identity theft charges.
The investigation, dubbed Operation CAST (criminal auto sales and titles), took months of undercover work by state, county and federal agencies.
A state lawmaker subsequently proposed legislation that would require proof of citizenship or legal immigration status before a motorist could receive a license plate or temporary tag.
