ARS 13-2008 Taking the Identity of Another – Probation with the chance to earn a misdemeanor
Mary is a realtor who made a dumb decision one day that almost cost her her real estate license. She had clients, a couple who moved to the Valley from out of state, whose home wasn’t ready to move in yet. She needed to find them a place to stay for a short time. She also had a client who skipped out on his rent and she knew his place was vacant. So she sublet his apartment to the couple. The problem was she didn’t get permission from the landlord because she was afraid he would say no. Then she got herself into real trouble by signing the landlord’s initials on the sublease agreement. She thought as long as she didn’t sign his name, it wasn’t forgery. But it was identity theft and now she was facing a felony and the loss of her real estate license. Burges negotiated a deal where Mary could turn the conviction into a misdemeanor after probation and then helped her with her real estate license hearing. She got to keep her license and her livelihood.