(Houston, TX) - Today, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office announced that it has filed five felony charges against a local Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee and a co-conspirator involved in a car title laundering scheme. The charges stem from an ongoing joint investigation conducted by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Harris County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit.

On July 9, 2025, DMV employee Carlisha Haywood was charged with Bribery and two counts of Tampering with a Government Record. Co-conspirator Xavier Goodwin Washington was also charged with two counts of Tampering with a Government Record.All charges are second degree felonies punishable with up to 2-20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

During the investigation, law enforcement officials uncovered an auto theft operation in which individuals would steal vehicles and then sell the stolen vehicles to a good-faith purchaser. Prior to making the sale, the conspirators would swap the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the stolen vehicle with a “clean” VIN from a different vehicle of the same make and model. In this case, Goodwin Washington would bribe Haywood and exploit her ability to access and print official records as a DMV employee to obtain certified copies of car titles in order to commit the fraudulent sale. The investigation remains ongoing.

“The people of Harris County deserve to trust that their public institutions serve them—and not criminal organizations that prey on innocent people,” said Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare. “Too many Houstonians have been victimized by car theft and fraud. I’m deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers who led this investigation and operation. They have our full support as we continue to root out public corruption with integrity, determination and urgency.”

An initial court date for both Defendents is scheduled for July 11 at 9 a.m. in the 496^th Criminal Court.