A convicted felon who committed multiple acts of fraud, stealing mail from Temecula residents and opening credit card accounts using the victims’ information, has pleaded guilty to six counts of identity theft.
Brittany Lee Ball, 27, admitted the allegations under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for her admissions, prosecutors dropped a dozen other identity theft counts, as well as a charge against Ball of possession of drugs for sale.
The plea deal was reached just as a preliminary hearing was about to begin to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.
Superior Court Judge Kelly Hansen is expected to certify the terms of the agreement and sentence Ball a week from Monday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
Ball is being held without bail at the Southwest Detention Center.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Geoffrey Green, detectives were conducting a mail theft investigation in April that led them to the defendant’s home in the 31000 block of Gabriel Metsu Street in Winchester.
A search warrant was served at the location, where deputies discovered “an extensive amount of stolen mail, credit cards, fictitious checks and methamphetamine,” Green said.
The thefts had occurred over a roughly three-month span, according to court records.
Ball was arrested without incident.
Court records show that the ex-convict has prior convictions for burglary, fraud, theft of public utilities and possession of illegal drugs.
–City News Service