So would the Illinois rep. who is bringing up an amnesty bill this month consider this guy? Real family values here.


Worker who fled theft charge nabbed in $6,500 boss burglary
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October 1, 2009
By NICHOLAS P. ALAJAKIS nalajakis@scn1.com

A Round Lake Beach man who eluded capture on theft charges by fleeing to California, was arrested by police after he returned to the area to burglarize the home of his former boss.

Rafael Mendoza was arraigned in Lake County court Wednesday on charges of theft and burglary, stemming from two separate incidents involving his former employer.


According to court records, the 21-year-old, from the 1500 block of Woodridge Drive, was arrested on Aug. 28, shortly after breaking into the home of his former boss, and stealing $6,500 in cash. The victim, who lives on Nippersink Road in Round Lake, told police he was asleep on the day in question, when strange sounds woke him up. During a search of the house, he said he saw someone who resembled Mendoza, whom he knew as his former handyman.

The victim called police and Round Lake officers stopped Mendoza's vehicle two blocks away.

At the time of his arrest, Mendoza was wanted on a warrant on accusations that he forged a number of the same victim's checks. For an 8-month period in 2008, Mendoza lived with the victim and did various construction jobs for him. Months later, the victim phoned his bank to check his account balance and was informed his account was dry.

An investigation by police and bank officials revealed that someone had written $44,000 in checks from the victim's account. The money, court records show, was in accounts under Mendoza's name, and under the name Gustavo Ochoa, which police say is one of Mendoza's aliases.

Court records indicate Mendoza fled the state to California after a warrant was issued for his arrest. While in California, he was arrested on traffic violations, and he was deported to Mexico. Shortly afterward he snuck back into the United States and ended up in the Round Lake area.

Mendoza pleaded not guilty to two counts of residential burglary and a single count of theft. The burglary charge is a Class 2 felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison. He is currently being held in the Lake County Jail on $400,000 bond, and is due in court again for a pre-trial hearing on Oct. 16.

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