Florida men accused of identity thefts here

Two Florida men are in custody and awaiting extradition to Lake County in separate identity theft cases, authorities announced Monday.

Both thieves used stolen personal information to victimize Lincolnshire residents, police said.

One man used the ill-gotten data to buy clothes, toys, computer equipment and other merchandise - including items he intended to give as Christmas presents - Lincolnshire police said.

"He was ordering stuff for his relatives, as well as himself," police Investigator Adam Hyde said.

The other thief bought airline tickets and Internet pornography with a credit card bearing a victim's name, police said.

Both thieves preyed on multiple victims, not just the Lincolnshire residents, police said.

Clarence E. Oiler, 40, of Orlando, is charged with felony counts of identity theft, unlawful use of a credit card and computer fraud in connection with one of the Lincolnshire cases. Oiler used personal information belonging to a Lincolnshire woman, police said. He received the data from a different, unidentified person who has not yet been charged, police said.

The woman discovered the identity theft this fall after noticing suspicious transactions on a credit card statement, Hyde said.

Lincolnshire police, working with the Orange County, Fla., sheriff's office and U.S. postal inspectors, searched Oiler's home Dec. 16 and found many fraudulently purchased items, Hyde said. They also found more than $60,000 worth of fraudulent money orders and information that indicated he'd sent more than $900,000 in fraudulent business checks to victims across the country, police said.

Oiler typically mailed the money orders and checks, which were worthless, to people in exchange for payments in amounts less than the face value of the checks, Hyde said.

The victims sent the payments to Oiler and only later learned their deposits were worthless, Hyde said.

"It's a get-rich-quick scam that preys on elderly people or people who are just confused," Hyde said.

Oiler had been in Orange County jail since October on unrelated charges of possession of cocaine, domestic battery and tampering with a witness to hinder communication to law enforcement.

He will be extradited to Lake County after appearing in court on the Florida charges, police said.

The suspect in the second Lincolnshire case was identified as Daniel Rivera, 29, of West Park, Fla. Rivera was arrested Dec. 18 and charged with felony counts of aggravated identity theft and unlawful use of a credit card.

Rivera applied for and received a credit card in the name of an elderly Lincolnshire woman, Hyde said. He used it to pay for pornography and other merchandise, police said. The victim's family discovered the crime and called police about two weeks ago, Hyde said. Investigators traced the purchases to Rivera.

Rivera had a forged Florida's driver's license when he was arrested, so he also was charged with unlawful possession of a forged license by Broward County police.

He is custody at the Broward County jail but will be extradited to Illinois, police said.