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Grayslake man denies identity theft charge

An employee of the secretary of state’s driver’s license division pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he tried to sell the personal information of license applicants at the division’s Libertyville office.

Charles DiPrima, 58, is charged with conspiracy to commit identity theft and faces up to three years in prison if convicted.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Danielle Pascucci said DiPrima, of the 500 block of Quail Circle in Grayslake, agreed to provide personal information for files in the office to a man in August 2007.

The man was actually an undercover operative for the FBI, and the information DiPrima gave him had been created by federal investigators as part of a sting operation, authorities said.

DiPrima was given gift cards and tickets to Chicago Cubs games in exchange for the information, Pascucci said.

Federal officials informed the Lake County state’s attorney’s office of the transaction late last year, and charges against DiPrima were filed.

A spokesman for the secretary of state’s office said DiPrima was suspended without pay from his job immediately after his arrest and the office intends to fire him.

Circuit Judge James Booras scheduled a trial for April 15 and ordered DiPrima to appear in court again April 5.