Woman gets 3 years for stealing kids' identities to buy cars - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

Document text

0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Wolf Creek man dies in rollover       ...       Mosquito spraying raises fears, questions       ...       Governor tells grads about her former closeted life       ...       Wolf Creek man dies in rollover       ...       Mosquito spraying raises fears, questions       ...       Governor tells grads about her former closeted life       ...           Woman gets 3 years for stealing kids' identities to buy cars Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted May. 12, 2016 at 5:22 PM Updated May 12, 2016 at 5:49 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted May. 12, 2016 at 5:22 PM Updated May 12, 2016 at 5:49 PM »  Social News An Eagle Point woman was sentenced Thursday to 36 months in prison after admitting to a string of property crimes that included using her kids' Social Security numbers to secure several fraudulent auto loans. Raquel Viviani Verdugo pleaded guilty Thursday to multiple felony charges of identity theft, aggravated theft and first-degree theft for crimes that included negotiating bad checks at grocery stores for cash back and returning items for gift cards, refusing to return furniture worth more than $1,000 bought with a bad check, and using copies of her children's Social Security cards to acquire three cars. Between April 23 and May 13 of 2015 Verdugo drove away from Lithia Honda, Lithia Nissan and Skinner Autoplex with vehicles valued between $16,000 and $17,000 using loans secured from Rogue Valley credit unions. Verdugo's attorney, Justin Rosas, said she had a "significant" substance abuse problem exacerbated by psychological problems, but has shown "a lot of progress" since she was lodged in jail May 14 of last year. Rosas said Verdugo's behavior was erratic. "This is all stuff that is easily caught," Rosas said. Verdugo also pleaded guilty to a felony charge of unlawfully obtaining public assistance, in which she falsely claimed her daughter and husband were living with her from October 2012 through June 2014, when her husband was actually incarcerated in California and her daughter was living in California. Rosas said that in the past year Verdugo has become a model inmate and a mentor to others in the jail. "This has certainly been an eye-opener," Verdugo told Circuit Court Judge Kelly Ravassipour. "I think you can see with your clean eyes that you were wreaking havoc in Jackson County," Ravassipour said. Ravassipour authorized alternative incarceration programs where available, credit for time served and earned time for good behavior, and urged Verdugo to continue working on her sobriety. She was ordered to pay restitution for her crimes, which were estimated to total $14,787. The bulk of the restitution amount was $12,091 from one of the three vehicle loans. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted May. 12, 2016 at 5:22 PM Updated May 12, 2016 at 5:49 PM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501