Newspaper Deliverywoman Faces New Dakota County Charges

A Lakeville woman arrested last week for stealing packages from an Eagan home on her newspaper delivery route is facing new, unrelated charges of identity theft and credit-card fraud in Burnsville, Eagan and Lakeville.

Angelique June Peterson, also known as Angelique June Smith, 29, after police said they watched her steal two packages placed on the victim’s porch as bait.  

New felony charges of identity theft and credit-card fraud were subsequently filed against Peterson. She faces a maximum penalty on each new charge of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the new charges, a Burnsville man reported to police in March 2010 that Peterson, his ex-girlfriend, had opened a Capital One credit-card account in his name without his permission and had run up an outstanding balance of more than $600.

The victim told police that he didn’t know about the card until he got a notice from a collection agency. He said Peterson delivers his newspaper, and has access to his mailbox.

Peterson allegedly opened the credit-card account online using an IP address registered to an Eagan business. The owner of that business told police that Peterson was a former employee.

The victim was listed on the Capital One account as the primary cardholder, with Peterson listed as an authorized user. Account statements showed that in April 2010, Peterson completed two transactions totaling more than $300 using the card at a T-Mobile store in Burnsville.

Both transactions were made in the name of Angel Peterson Smith on two separate T-Mobile accounts, both belonging to Peterson. She used the credit card to complete transactions at other stores in Eagan, Burnsville and Lakeville, according to the complaint.

Police spoke to Peterson via phone, and she admitted opening the Capital One account, but said the victim had given her permission to open it in his name because of her poor credit, the complaint says. She said that after she opened the account, the victim found out about it and “became upset.”

Peterson is free on bond. An omnibus hearing on all the charges against her is scheduled for Nov. 28 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.