Tonya Patrice Thomas Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls on July 29, 2010, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, TONYA PATRICE THOMAS, a 39-year-old resident of Wolf Point, pled guilty to bank fraud. Sentencing has been set for November 8, 2010. She is currently released on special conditions.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl E. Rostad, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

THOMAS had a romantic relationship with R.G., a Nashua area farmer and rancher. In July of 2009, THOMAS took R.G.'s checkbook and, forging R.G.'s signature, began writing checks, most made payable to herself, off of R.G.'s bank account with the First Community Bank of Glasgow. Between July and November of 2009, THOMAS wrote and cashed $34,788.28 worth of fraudulent checks.

THOMAS was interviewed and admitted to the forgeries and the transaction of the checks with the knowledge that she was not authorized or otherwise given permission to access the account.

THOMAS faces possible penalties of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and at least five years' supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.