Posted Online: 2007-06-01
Woman guilty of bilk
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DAN CHURNEY, danc@mywebtimes.com, 815-431-4050
A Rochelle woman admitted Thursday in La Salle County, Illinois Circuit Court she stole state unemployment benefits.
Graciela Marquez pleaded guilty to using an alias to receive $1,691 from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Marquez has made a sentencing arrangement with prosecutors, but Circuit Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. warned Marquez that if she got into legal trouble before the sentencing hearing — set for Thursday, July 12 — the arrangement would not apply.
The sentencing range for Marquez’s offense permits fine, probation and as long as five years in prison. She also could be ordered to pay restitution.
Another charge of identity theft was dropped. This charge referred to Marquez having fraudulent identification, which prosecutor Greg Sticka said Marquez used to obtain the state benefits.
Mendota police handled the case.
The 34-year-old Marquez does not speak English and relied on a Spanish interpreter in court. Marquez also is not a United States citizen, which prompted Ryan to tell her that with her felony conviction she could be deported.
http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=300216
Why, this amounts to cruel and unusual punishment to a poor woman who stole to feed her starving non-English speaking family.
For English, press one.
I live in Rochelle. There are any number of illegals here, because of agricultural jobs. I’ve yet to see this story in our local newspaper (but that’s not unusual; they’re slow on the uptake). Anyway, the arraignment was in LaSalle County; Rochelle is in Ogle County. Apparently, Mendota police (LaSalle County) had something to do with this investigation. Mendota is over 30 miles South, so I don’t understand the connection, which isn’t explained in the story. That’s a long drive every day if she works down there.
Oh sure. She couldn't speak English but knew enough to have fraudulent ID and identity theft.
I knew a guy who worked as an EMT in NYC. He said that they would arrive at the scene of some incident and everyone involved was speaking good English. The first cop arrives on the scene and it was "No hablo Engles" and an interpreter was required.
Can't speak English? What a crock.