A GW student was arrested and five others were brought in for questioning Wednesday after law enforcement officials executed a search warrant for suspicion of manufacturing and selling fraudulent state driver’s licenses from a Thurston Hall room.

University Police, Metropolitan Police and the Secret Service spent several hours executing their search warrant and interviewing Thurston residents, UPD Director Dolores Stafford said.

Stafford estimated that law enforcement spent five hours, between 1:30 and 6:30 p.m., in Thurston Wednesday afternoon.

During the time, they were interviewing individuals involved and seizing evidence including computers and other equipment used to make fake IDs, Stafford said.

Stafford said the one student who was arrested will be held in custody, but she said she did not know what will happen with the other five students.

Students on that floor and in the building, while we were there, have already turned in approximately 25 IDs to the police officers who were on the scene, said Stafford. She said the IDs will be used as evidence against any charged suspects.

Stafford said the student being charged will either face penalties under the D.C. Crimes Code or the Federal Crimes Code.

If he is charged under the D.C. Crimes Code, he could be charged with forgery, which is a felony, Stafford said. If he is charged under the Federal Crimes Code, he could be charged with counterfeiting.

The University does not condone this type of activity. Manufacturing or possession of fake identification leads to underage drinking and other potentially harmful and unsafe behavior.

In addition to criminal penalties, the individuals involved could face expulsion from the University, Stafford said. The case will be referred to Student Judicial Services.

In April 1995, two GW freshmen were arrested for manufacturing counterfeit identification out of Madison Hall. Officers from MPD, UPD and the Secret Service executed a search warrant and confiscated $30,000 worth of computer equipment. Law enforcement officials arrested one student in Thurston Hall and another as he stepped off a plane at Dulles International Airport, returning from spring break.

Stafford declined comment as to what tipped off law enforcement officials Wednesday.

We will take action against the students involved under the code of student conduct, Stafford said.