WILLMAR -- Pedro Cid, 24, and Vanessa Reyes Cid, 25, of Willmar, pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to felony charges for wrongfully obtaining more than $12,000 in public assistance
Pedro Cid pleaded guilty to two felony charges of wrongfully obtaining assistance and identity theft. As part of a plea agreement, nine additional felonies for perjury and forgery will be dismissed, he will receive a stay of execution on his sentence and spend a maximum of 30 days in jail.
Vanessa pleaded guilty to one felony charge of wrongfully obtaining assistance. Three felonies for perjury will be dismissed. She will receive a stay of imposition and 30 days in the county jail.
The couple agreed to jointly repay restitution of $12,659.63 in the case. They will be sentenced March 24.
The charges were filed after Kandiyohi County Family Services officials received an anonymous tip in May 2007 that he was working at Jennie-O Turkey Store under the false name of Orlando Cuadrado Gonzalez and that his income was not being reported. Vanessa had applied for and received public assistance periodically since 2003 and married Pedro on Dec. 27, 2005. After the marriage, both names were included on the assistance applications. As recipients, they were obligated to report their income and employment status and changes to family services.
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An investigation revealed that Pedro applied for work at Jennie-O in June 2005 under the false name and signed employment forms under that name five times between June 2005 and December 2007. Between January 2006 and July 2007, the couple received $12,659.63 in overpayment of public assistance benefits.
Both were interviewed and said they knew of the obligation to report income but did not because it would create a hardship for their family. Vanessa had filled out three applications, twice in 2006 and once in 2007 stating that Pedro was unemployed.
