A Browning woman has been sentenced to 25 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for embezzling more than $30,000 from the Heart Butte School District, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Jonnie Jo Fransis Spotted Eagle, age 37, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris handed down the sentence.
According to court documents, Spotted Eagle took funds while employed by the school district by using school credit cards and purchase orders without authorization. She presented these orders at local grocery stores and obtained gift cards for her own use. To conceal her actions, she forged the names of other school employees on fraudulent transactions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Weldon and Kalah Paisley. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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