Serviceman victim of identity theft

Accused was allegedly trying to avoid traffic citations

A Burlington man is facing identity theft charges for allegedly using the name of another man who is stationed oversees in the military in an attempt to avoid traffic citations.

Kenneth James Lux, 21, appeared in Racine County Circuit Court Dec. 17 on charges of personal identity theft and obstructing an officer. A judge found probable cause that a crime was committed and agreed to release Lux on $2,500 signature bond while the case is pending with the condition that he have no contact with the victim or his family.

According to a Racine County Sheriff’s Department report filed along with the criminal complaint in the case, Lux was eventually identified as the driver of a vehicle pulled over by a deputy on July 25 in the Town of Yorkville for a suspected traffic violation.

Lux allegedly told the deputy he had no identification with him and gave the name of another man. The deputy issued a citation for operating a vehicle without insurance in the name of that man.

Nearly two months later, however, sheriff’s officials received a call from the father of the man named in the citation, informing them his son is currently stationed in Kosovo with the U.S. military and was not in the country when the citation was issued.

Deputies then contacted the woman who was in the vehicle with Lux when he was pulled over to learn his true identity. The woman, Brittany A. Bell, who at the time was in the Kenosha County Jail on a heroin possession charge, told deputies that Lux was her ex-boyfriend and he had used the name of his sister’s fiancé during the traffic stop.

After learning Lux’s true identity, the deputy issued additional citations for operating after revocation and unsafe lane deviation. He also referred the matter to the district attorney’s office for prosecution of the identity theft and obstruction charges.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled in that case for Jan. 3 at 8:30 a.m. in Racine County Circuit Court.