Former janitorial workers face ID theft charges

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Two cleaning women who worked for one of the companies involved in an immigration sweep at courthouses last week are charged with stealing the Social Security numbers of University of Rhode Island employees.

Eliza Lima and Christiane Billafon are charged with nine counts of identity fraud, three counts of larceny under $250 and three counts of larceny over $250.

Police in Fall River, Massachusetts charged the women after raiding their apartment in March and seizing a computer, credit card applications and bills in the names of others, including employees at URI's alumni center.

The women had been placed at URI by TriState Enterprises, one of two companies at the center of the courthouse sweep that resulted in the arrest of 31 suspected illegal immigrants.

They are due in court on Aug. 12.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.projo.com/