RACINE - A Racine man accused of impersonating the CEO of a shoe company to get tens of thousands of dollars in computer equipment shipped to his apartment has pleaded guilty to federal charges against him.

Lance Coleman, 46, pleaded guilty Wednesday to scheming to defraud using the telephone and Internet. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and $250,000 in fines.

According to the plea agreement, Coleman has agreed to pay a special assessment of $100 and restitution of $101,111.16 prior to or at the time of sentencing. He is due to be sentenced July 11.

Coleman represented himself as the chief executive officer of Skechers Inc., a major shoe manufacturer, and placed an order for approximately $40,000 of electronic equipment from Dell Computer Company.

He first called Dell on Dec. 14, said he was Skechers CEO Robert Greenberg and that the company was relocating its corporate office to 719 Villa St., Suite 204. He verbally provided the company's tax identification number and ordered computers and televisions worth roughly $44,000.

He followed up on the order with phone calls and e-mails. The Dell employee who took the order was suspicious and got in touch with his normal contact at Skechers, who said the order was not authentic. Additionally, Coleman misspelled the CEO's name and the company name.

On Dec. 5, Coleman filed a burglary report with Racine police, saying an unknown subject broke into his apartment and tried to steal a DVD player and clothing. Coleman said he arrived home during the burglary and confronted the subject, who fled, leaving the property behind.

On Dec. 20, Coleman sent an e-mail purchase order from "Greenberg," for $47,284.55.

The authentic Greenberg said he had nothing to do with these orders.

Coleman sent repeated e-mails checking the status of the order until, on Jan. 7, Dell shipped a package made to resemble a computer box to his apartment. A special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation posed as a delivery man and brought the box to Coleman's apartment. He saw Coleman sign Greenberg's name to the delivery.