Lionel Joseph Barzon III, 23, has been placed on three years probation and fined $396 after he pleaded guilty to identity theft involving his use of a false letter stating he was an employee of the city of Chula Vista so he could qualify to get an auto loan.
Barzon, who has since moved to Encino, was given credit for three days spent in jail when he was arrested in March after being charged with using a counterfeit seal of the city of Chula Vista, forgery of the city attorney’s signature and burglary.
The identity theft charge Barzon admitted to committing was reduced to a misdemeanor and the other charges were dismissed by Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Garry Haehnle, according to court records.
He faced a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for the misdemeanor.
“I used personal identification of another for an unlawful purpose,” wrote Barzon on a court document.
As a volunteer, Barzon worked on the campaign of Councilman John McCann, but he did not work for the city.
An aide to McCann said in March that Barzon had a minor role in the campaign.
Barzon went to a car dealer on Jan. 9 and a loan officer called the city to confirm his employment.
The charge Barzon admitted to says he acted illegally to “create and present a fraudulent letter proof of employment in support of an application for (an) auto loan.”
The dismissed burglary charge alleged he entered the car dealership with the intent to defraud. He could not be reached for comment.
