PHOENIX -- A Mesa man pleaded guilty Wednesday to taking out more than $787,000 in loans using someone else's Social Security number, a spokesman from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said.

Adan Betanicio Guerrero, 37, used the victim's Social Security number to purchase two cars on credit and take out thousands of dollars in loans, said Michael Anthony Scerbo from the county attorney's office.

Scerbo said Mesa police caught Guerrero after he tried to use the stolen Social Security number to purchase a car. The credit union contacted the victim and discovered the identity theft, Scerbo said.

Guerrero, who police say is in the country illegally, was indicted in June 2008. He pleaded guilty to one county of taking identity of another and one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, both class four felonies.

He told police they should be arresting real criminals and not a good family man at the time of arrest, Scerbo said.

Guerrero will be sentenced Feb. 11.