Warrant Expected for Man Accused of Identity Theft

A warrant is expected to be issued for the arrest of Keith Mansfield of Winthrop Harbor, IL, because he didn't make his initial appearance Thursday to face charges of identity theft.

Mansfield, 28, is wanted in Racine County for allegedly stealing the identities of at least two women and using their credit cards to purchase a variety of goods including placing ads for escort services, a motorcycle, and songs from iTunes.

According to the criminal complaint, Mansfield was the roommate of a Caledonia woman and a man for whom she was a caregiver, but the woman asked Mansfield to move out because she suspected he was selling prescription medication.

Caledonia police say the woman contacted them in December 2012 to report charges on her account she did not authorize. Most of them involved PayPal but there were also charges at the iTunes store and for ads for escort services as if Mansfield and a different acquaintance were the escorts offering services.

Officers say the woman told them she suspected her former roommate - Mansfield - of stealing her information from the computer they shared in the house before she asked him to move out.

Mansfield also tried to apply for - but didn't receive - a Walmart credit card and cell phone accounts from Verizon and Sprint using the woman's daughter's information as well as that of the disabled man for whom the woman is a caregiver, the complaint reads.

Then, in Feb. 2013, Caledonia police say another woman reported that Manfield had also stolen her identity after he helped her file her taxes.

Police say this second woman told officers that she got a bill on Feb. 14 from MotoSport, Inc. for goods she did not order. On Feb. 13, she said she spoke to Mansfield over the phone, and he told her he had just received two motorcycle tires and some riding equipment. He also said he was waiting for a television to get delivered.

Officers say the woman gave Mansfield all her information - including her date of birth, address, social security number - over the phone in order for Mansfield to file her taxes for her. After she got the bill from MotoSport, the woman ordered her credit reports and discovered there had been several attempts to open a variety of accounts in her name.

Police were able to confirm the transactions were from the IP and email addresses of Mansfield. The ordered items were scheduled to be delivered to his home in Winthrop Harbor but billed to the second witness' address in Caledonia, the complaint reads.

Mansfield was summoned to court for his initial appearance Thursday, but when he didn't show, a bench warrant was requested.