LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The Bancroft Police Department has announced the arrest of two notaries who allegedly had over 70 fraudulent Kentucky temporary tags.

Bancroft police said the investigation began when they were tipped off about the temporary tags being sold online.

According to court documents, Joann Smith, 30, had posted on a Facebook Marketplace group about the sale of temporary tags featuring a picture of a stack of tags. She was contacted about the sale by the informant and eventually identified herself as a notary public and agreed to sell two temporary tags and notarize a Kentucky vehicle title. She later told the informant she could provide as many tags as needed.

Court documents say that when Smith arrived at the agreed-upon sale location, Deangelo Thomas, 33, who is also a notary, was with her. Smith took the informant inside an office and sold him 10 fake tags and notarized a title for $297.

According to police, Thomas notarized the seller’s section of a vehicle title without the seller being present.

Police arrested both Thomas and Smith on Jan. 31. They face dozens of counts of complicity to stealing, producing, copying or illegally acquiring temporary tags. Thomas is/also charged with official misconduct and perjury.

Thomas and Smith are scheduled in court for arraignment on Feb. 4.

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