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Workplace thefts net time in prison [Superior Telegram, Wis. :: ](Daily Telegram (Superior, WI) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 18--Superior Telegram A Superior man will spend 2 1/2 years in prison for falsifying records at his workplace and identity theft. Kenneth Andrew Bowker, 25, pleaded no contest March 31 to identity theft and two counts of fraudulent writings in Douglas County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 30 months in state prison and three years of extended supervision for the fraud charges with a two-year prison sentence for identity theft to run concurrently. He also was ordered to pay about $3,240 in restitution and $268 in court costs. Three additional counts of fraud were dismissed but read in for sentencing. According to the criminal complaints: Bowker was employed by a Superior telemarketing company. He contacted potential customers to sell internet, cable or telecommunications services. If parties decided to make the purchase, Bowker would email them a contract to sign electronically and return by email. Bowker would then receive a commission. Six different companies on the East Coast complained to the telemarketing firm that they declined the offer, but crews showed up to install services anyway. In each case, Bowker prepared and sent an agreement document to an incorrect email address he had created. He would then sign them electronically himself. The unauthorized contracts netted Bowker about $1,200 in commissions and bonuses. Bowker also stole a Massachusetts man's name and social security number and used it to obtain cable and internet services at his apartment in Superior. The Massachusetts man discovered the theft when a $1,236 charge from Charter Cable was turned in for collection and appeared on the man's credit report. He believed Bowker got the information from a company that hired his Superior telemarketing firm. ___ (c)2014 the Superior Telegram (Superior, Wis.) Visit the Superior Telegram (Superior, Wis.) at www.superiortelegram.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |