Timothy J. Racicot Acting United States Attorney for the District of Montana | Wikipedia
A former US Forest Service law enforcement officer from Thompson Falls has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud. Nathan J. Snead, 47, admitted to theft of government money, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Snead faces a potential sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto presided over the case. Sentencing is scheduled for August 27, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Snead was released with conditions preceding further legal actions.
Court documents allege that Snead falsely justified his working hours to claim overtime pay, reserved for law enforcement officers performing irregular and unscheduled duty. In 2023, Snead was required to account for 5-7 additional hours weekly, maintaining a 15% overtime rate in his reviews.
Snead certified his time on his Time and Attendance Record, declaring hours worked and overtime with the statement: “I certify that the above information on hours worked and leave used is true and accurate.” Surveillance, including a GPS tracker installed on Snead's patrol vehicle on May 2, 2023, revealed the vehicle often remained outside his residence during claimed work hours.
Evidence showed Snead certified his regular eight-hour work shifts when data indicated otherwise, along with his stationary vehicle during claimed overtime. Comparative analysis of law enforcement statistics from 2021 to 2023 highlighted his lower productivity versus peers, providing incident reports and violation notices.
The allegations conclude that Snead's false time claims led to approximately $18,645 in stolen funds. The U.S. Attorney’s Office managed the prosecution, with the U.S. Forest Service conducting the investigation.
