Illegal immigrant charged in ID theft

Bradenton, Florida -- An illegal immigrant has been arrested on charges he used a stolen ID to get a job he held in Sarasota for nearly a year, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports.

Emilio Perez-Ramirez, 34, became a suspect when the IRS notified a man in Texas that someone was using his identity. The Texan had reported his wallet was stolen at a local convenience store in 2003.

A trace led authorities to the Wellcraft Company in Sarasota, where Perez-Ramirez had been working for almost a year. He was arrested without incident.

Deputies said Perez-Ramirez had produced false documents when he got the job,

"Perez-Ramirez indicated to law enforcement that he came to the U.S. illlegally to work for his family," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "He has been sending all the money back to Mexico where his wife and children are located."

Deputies said he was planning on returning to Mexico next week.