Fake ID results in forgery conviction of Virginia Beach man after New Kent traffic stop

A Virginia Beach man found out the hard way that a fake identification card can lead to a lot of trouble.

Mark Shevon Sandiford, 52, of the 700 block of Skipwith Road, Virginia Beach, was found guilty of forgery of a public record, misdemeanor driving suspended, and misdemeanor reckless driving following a one-hour contested trial Monday morning in New Kent Circuit Court.

On Aug. 17, 2024, Virginia State Trooper James Shaw was conducting stationary radar on Interstate 64 westbound at mile marker 211 just before 7 a.m. when a Black Nissan entered through the beam at 89 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone. Shaw pulled out to follow the vehicle, noticing the Nissan’s speed had increased to 97 miles per hour. Eventually, the trooper was able to execute a traffic top on the vehicle approximately two miles later.

The trooper exited the car and came upon the driver, who identified himself verbally as Mark Sandiford. However, the trooper was handed a Florida driver’s license with the name “Shevon Sandford.” The trooper asked if the information on the license was correct and the driver replied that it was.

Shaw continued, telling the driver that when he signed the summons it’s not an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgement that he received the citation. The trooper advised him to make sure that he signed the correct name. The driver signed the name “Mark Sandiford” on the citation, leading the trooper to ask if the driver’s license was a fraud. Sandiford said that it was a fraud, and the officer removed him from the car and placed him under arrest.

Because his name written on the citation did not match the license, Shaw asked the driver why he had a fake identification from Florida. Sandiford said that he had it created to settle his mother’s estate. The trooper asked why he didn’t sign the name he had on the license on the summons, and he said that he made a mistake and didn’t mean to do it. A further determination was made by Shaw after receiving the driver’s social security number that he had a license that was suspended due to previous convictions.

Sandiford testified on his behalf, admitting that he knew the Florida identification card was fake but he didn’t realize it until he was sitting in the back seat of the officer’s patrol vehicle.

“I didn’t realize what I gave him because my legit license is from New York,” the defendant testified. “I had no intention to deceive them.”

Judge B. Elliott Bondurant stared at the defendant, asking about the need for multiple licenses. Sandiford responded by saying that he could only get items out of a Florida storage locker facility if he had a Florida identification.

Defense attorney Matthew Barbero challenged the reasonable doubt aspect of the case, pointing to the posting of signs on the interstate and that Sandiford had no intentions to deceive the officer when he handed his license.

But New Kent Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick asked a simple question of the defendant.

“If you only needed to use it once, why did you keep it?” the Commonwealth’s Attorney asked.

Renick turned to the judge and challenged the credibility of the witness, pointing to Sandiford’s fumbling of words. It was followed by Renick’s comments that the defendant had a Virginia address and lived in the state for the last three years but did not have a Virginia license.

After a second motion to strike was denied, the judge tapped into the common sense facts of the case.

“I travel that highway a lot so I take judicial notice of the highway’s speed,” Bondurant commented. “Mr. Sandiford admitted he was suspended.

“He lives in Virginia, driving with a fake license and says his current license is from New York,” the judge continues. “And the trooper clearly asked him if the info was true on the summons, which the defendant said it was.

“But the defendant can say what he wanted, but I watched him testify and squirm around his words, but quite frankly, I think he’s lying, and I find him guilty on all three charges.”

Sandiford received a five-year sentence with all time suspended on the forgery conviction. He received a $500 on the reckless driving conviction and a $250 fine on the driving suspended conviction.