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Round Lake Park woman gets prison for stealing from disabled man

A Round Lake Park woman was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday for stealing more than $3,000 from a disabled man who had hired her for home care assistance.

Angelique Edwards, 36, of the 500 block of Grandview Drive, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft on Aug. 22 and was facing a maximum of five years behind bars.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Reginald Matthews said a 56-year-old Ingleside man who is a quadriplegic hired Edwards in early March to care for him in his home.

On March 10, when the man was not at home, Edwards took the man's automated teller machine card and personal identification number.

She did not return to work the following day, and during the next five days withdrew $3,010 at cash machines in Lake and Cook county.

Edwards was arrested May 19 and has been held on $25,000 bail ever since.

Matthews asked Circuit Judge Fred Foreman to sentence Edwards to the maximum five years, citing her previous convictions for theft, drug possession and prostitution.

Assistant Public Defender Jennifer Snyder argued for the minimum sentence of two years and claimed Edwards was in need of psychological and substance abuse counseling.

Foreman told Edwards his sentence had to be near the maximum because of her lengthy criminal history, but urged her to seek counseling both in prison and once she is released.