Alleged ID thief pleads not guilty

A woman arrested on July 27 has pleaded not guilty in Mower County Court to charges that she stole someone’s identity to work in Austin.

Carmen Lazaro-Cacari, 25, pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony forgery for false identification and misdemeanor identity theft.

A police inquiry from Texas originally revealed that a woman living in Austin, Minn., was allegedly using another’s identity to work at Austin Packaging Company. A Texas woman told her local authorities that someone stole her identity and was using it at Austin Packaging Company, according to the complaint. A detective discovered who the alleged identity thief was — Lazaro-Cacari — and arrested her at her home on the 600 block of North Main Street in Austin on July 27. The complaint adds Lazaro-Cacari voluntarily gave the detective her documents, which included the victim’s birth certificate and social security card. Lazaro-Cacari allegedly used the documents to get a Minnesota ID.

The detective also found an EBT card for food assistance, medical documents from Mower County Human Services revealing her true identity, a Mexico Matricula card and Mexico birth certificate.

Lazaro-Cacari is held in the Mower County jail on $50,000 bail. Her next court appearance is Oct. 12.

 

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