South Beloit woman found guilty in bail-jumping conspiracy
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A South Beloit woman faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines after being convicted Wednesday in a bail-jumping conspiracy.
Prosecutors say in June 2016, 56-year-old Patricia Werschin (aka Patricia Frisella,) helped her son Adrian Peters escape to Canada to avoid prosecution for sexual exploitation charges.
According to court documents, Peters was on pre-trial home confinement with a $15,000 cash bond, while Werschin acted as his third-party custodian. During this time, Werschin created a fake i.d. for her son, and arranged for him to be driven to the U.S.-Canadian border.
When the driver was stopped by border patrol, they confessed to the plan, and Peters was taken into custody. After his arrest, Werschin fled to Mexico, and was also detained.
Werschin is due back in court on June 16 for sentencing. Peters pled guilty to both the sexual exploitation of a minor and conspiracy charges. He received 26 years for his original charge and is due back in court June 30 for sentencing in the conspiracy conviction.
Copyright 2023 WIFR. All rights reserved.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/A3J2EDPQZNBBRCYO56YYE7CDCU.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/LPPBENXCNVD3TABAQ2LJBNGK4E.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/2TBWZKUXEVEVVB5FNDDW2CBPAA.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/4YXFM7QUKBGGXAOPEMEVWVL3HU.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/HAWWBIREWRGT7HP3SOZJSYYCJA.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/4D34HZDOONCQJKEBWYIACBCU2U.png)
/do0bihdskp9dy.cloudfront.net/06-05-2023/t_958de02dd2cd469ea66f46b3d0b847c9_name_file_1280x720_2000_v3_1_.jpg)