Unemployed Sussex Man's Social Security Number Stolen to Get Jobs

A 37-year-old Pewaukee man is facing charges after he allegedly stole the Social Security number of an unemployed Sussex man so he could get work for himself.

Margarito Escobar was charged in Monday with one count of identity theft for financial gain. If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

The victim contacted the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department on May 14 after he discovered his Social Security number was being used by someone else. The man said he has been unemployed for the past year and is on food stamps.

One of the state workers informed him his number was being used by someone at Perkins Restaurant, Bartolotta Restaurant Group and West Incorporated.

The victim said he had never worked at any of the businesses, so he filed the complaint.

Officers contacted the payroll manager for Perkins and discovered Escobar was using the Social Security number to work at the location in Delafield. On May 23, officers were also contacted by a confidential informant who said Escobar was living with his girlfriend in Pewaukee and also working at North Star American Bistro in Brookfield.

Officers then confronted Escobar about the Social Security number and he said he came to the U.S. in 2001 and isn’t a resident, so he purchased the number from a person at a Milwaukee grocery store and used it to get numerous jobs.

Escobar will make his initial appearance in court July 30.