A man is charged with felony tampering with a governmental record for selling disabled parking placards through social media, Harris County Constable Precinct One Alan Rosen said.
“Aside from being against the law, this is wrong on many other levels,” Constable Rosen said. “Disabled parking is for people who are truly disabled and have a legally issued permit.”
David T. Brown, 28, was arrested by Constable Precinct One detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations and Tax Office Investigations Unit.
The defendant advertised the blue permanent-disability placards on social media and altered them by adding a driver-license numbers and other information on them to make them appear legitimate, according to court records.
Disabled parking placards hang from rearview mirrors and permit those who qualify to park in designated spaces and be exempt from parking meter fees.
The defendant sold the placards for $150. The State of Texas issues them for free.
He faces a second-degree felony with penalty of two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Disabled parking placards must be issued by the State of Texas and obtained through a county tax office, but investigators have determined that placards seized in this case were not assigned to the Harris County Tax Office.
How the defendant got the permits and who he sold them to, remains part of an ongoing investigation.
Those who use illegally obtained permits face a range of misdemeanor charges, depending on the facts, and punishments to include fines, jail time and community service.
“Our work continues,” Constable Rosen said. “We greatly appreciate the Harris County Tax Office’s help in this investigation.”
Anyone with information about Brown and this scheme, is asked to contact Constable Precinct One investigators at (713) 755-5200.
