Desmet woman sentenced for making fake checks

COEUR d'ALENE — A 43-year-old Desmet woman was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court to 100 days in jail for conspiracy to commit theft from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and for making counterfeit checks.

U.S. District Judge Stanley A. Bastian, a visiting judge from the Eastern District of Washington assigned to hear some Idaho cases, also ordered Roberta Jean Peone to serve three years of supervised release with the first 120 days to be spent in a residential re-entry center and to pay $20,772.32 in restitution.

Peone pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 15.

According to the plea agreement, Peone admitted she and her co-defendant agreed to and did manufacture counterfeit checks, and stole from a federally-recognized tribal organization.

Peone created the counterfeit checks using check-making software on her laptop and check stock.

After creating the checks, Peone and her co-defendant recruited others to cash some of the counterfeit checks. Many of the checks were cashed at the Coeur d’Alene Casino.

The recruits split the proceeds from the counterfeit checks with Peone and her co-defendant. The total loss due to the counterfeit checks created by Peone and her co-defendant was $20,772.32.

The case was investigated by Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the FBI.