The state beauty queen of Wisconsin has voluntarily given up her title just a few weeks before she was scheduled to fight for the national crown. Identity theft charges filed against her by prosecutors prompted this move.

26-year old Shaletta Porterfield was set to represent Wisconsin in the Miss USA Pageant in Las Vegas next month after winning the 2011 Miss Wisconsin-USA crown. However, the pageant officials announced that Porterfield decided to resign last week following a three-count criminal case filed against her by the Dane County, Wisconsin prosecutors.

Based on the complaint, Porterfield used to work as a commission-base sales representative for a company in Illinois which sells Internet and telephone directory ads. In order to increase her commissions, Porterfield allegedly drew up questionable contracts with three companies in Wisconsin and forged signatures in the process.

The companies only found out about the drafted contracts after the American Marketing and Publishing, Porterfield’s employer, sent invoices for a total amount of $4,670.

If proven guilty, Porterfield could be imprisoned for up to six years in state prison and pay fines of as much as $30,000 for all three charges. Robert Nagal, the beauty queen’s attorney, refused to make a statement and comment on the issue. He was apparently out of his office on Tuesday.

As the first runner-up of the Miss Wisconsin-USA 2011, Jordan Morkin will represent the state in the national competition next month in Las Vegas.