Waukegan woman gets probation for ID theft

A Waukegan woman was placed on probation for one year Tuesday after admitting she used a stolen Social Security number to get a job.

Lake County Circuit Judge Fred Foreman told Beatriz Aguilar, 24, she faces possible deportation for pleading guilty to felony identity theft.

Assistant State's Attorney Reginald Matthews said a Round Lake Park resident contacted police in that village in July when he was notified he was being audited by the Internal Revenue Service.

Matthews said the man was told he had not been reporting the income he earned since 2003 at a grocery store in Bannockburn, even though he had never worked at the store.

Police took the man's Social Security number to the store, Matthews said, where officials identified Aguilar as the person who was using it.

Aguilar, of 2854 Hillside Ave., told police she bought the number not long after entering this country from Mexico in August, 2003.

Foreman also ordered Aguilar to perform 50 hours of public service and barred her from possessing any Social Security numbers.

Mathews said Aguilar could have faced up to three years in prison if convicted after a trial.