An Eagan couple who used Internet sex ads to assume people's identities and steal from them pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple crimes.

Amy Ruth Bergquist, 30, pleaded guilty Oct. 8 to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to falsely use identification documents. Eric Christopher Thorsen, 25, pleaded guilty to the same counts Sept. 16.

According to a plea agreement, Thorsen admitted to taking mail from mailboxes and stealing identification documents to purchase goods and steal from strangers' bank accounts. Bergquist admitted to helping Thorsen.

Both admitted that their scheme amounted to about $30,000 and $120,000 for their victims. Police found stolen identification documents in searches of two hotel rooms where Thorsen was staying.

An indictment charged that the couple placed Internet advertisements in which they purported to seek other adults to engage in sexual acts. They used the ruse to lure their victims to a hotel room or a residence, where they would steal identification documents and other items from them.

Both face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a mandatory two-year minimum prison sentence for the aggravated identity-theft count. They will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson on a date not yet determined.

This article was posted here on Oct. 10. will appear also in the Oct. 16 print edition of the Eagan Sun-Current, a Sun Newspapers publication.