Posted: January 6, 2013 - 2:01pm
By The Associated Press

WICHITA — An illegal immigrant accused of completely assuming the persona of a Houston elementary school teacher is expected to plead guilty in a case that personified the growing problem of “total identity theft” in the United States.

Benita Cardona-Gonzalez has a change-of-plea hearing Monday in federal court in Wichita to an amended charge of possessing fraudulent identification documents. Prosecutors have said her attorney told them and the court that Cardona-Gonzalez had accepted a plea offer.

The Mexican national is accused of completely assuming the persona of teacher Candida L. Gutierrez for more than a decade.

Gutierrez told The Associated Press on Friday that she plans to come to Cardona-Gonzalez’s sentencing later this year to tell the court the effect the identity theft has had on her life.

Illegal immigrant faces Wichita hearing in 'total identity theft' | CJOnline.com