A Kalispell woman has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling nearly $500,000 from a local business. Rita Ann Pierce, 59, received a sentence of 14 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud earlier this year.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen oversaw the sentencing. According to court documents, Pierce Manufacturing is a family-owned company that started as a welding shop in 1974 and later expanded into manufacturing. The case came to light when the company noticed unexplained financial losses and ordered an audit, which revealed the theft.
While working as the bookkeeper, Pierce concealed her actions by entering false names in the company's ledger and making fraudulent transactions appear legitimate. The investigation found that she embezzled approximately $496,881 over four years between 2016 and 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, with the FBI conducting the investigation.
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