An Ontario woman is going to jail on several charges of fraud and identity theft in the St. John’s metro region.

51-year-old Paula Malandruccolo was arrested in June after numerous reports of someone using doctored I.D.s to buy cellphones and other merchandise.

The Kitchener, Ontario woman had obtained social insurance numbers and other I.D.s, replacing original photos with her own on at least four documents.

She then used those fake I.D.s to buy merchandise, including cellphones, to the tune of almost $20,000.

There were 6 victims in the case, including four people and two businesses, but all of the goods have since been recovered and accounted for.

The court was told the woman had found herself in financial trouble and sought out a less-than-reputable lending service, which coerced her to carry out the scheme to pay them back.

Malandruccolo pleaded guilty to five counts of impersonation, theft and fraud, telling police it was a “relief” to be caught. She still faces similar charges in Nova Scotia and Alberta.

She was sentenced to less than a year in jail, but with time already served she has less than 40 days left in custody.