Sheri Forbregd Gossage, the former Information Technology Director for the Poplar School District, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Gossage was initially charged with theft from a state and local government receiving federal funding, and wire fraud.
Court documents allege that Gossage fraudulently claimed and received money by misusing the school district credit cards to order supplies from Amazon and other merchants, none of which were authorized.
In a plea agreement, Gossage pleaded guilty to the charge of wire fraud, and the theft charge was dropped.
Sentencing for Gossage has been set for August 16.
(MARCH 7, 2018) Sheri Forbregd Gossage, the former Information Technology Director for the Poplar School District, has been charged in federal court with stealing money from the district.
Gossage is charged with theft from a state and local government receiving federal funding, and wire fraud.
Court documents allege that Gossage fraudulently claimed and received money by misusing the school district credit cards to order supplies from Amazon and other merchants, none of which were authorized.
The trial for Gossage has been scheduled for Monday, May 14, at the federal courthouse in Great Falls.
The charging documents state:
Beginning in or about February 2014, and continuing thereafter until in or about July 2017, at Poplar, within Roosevelt County, in the State and District of Montana, and other places, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, who worked for the Poplar School District, an agency of State and Local government, intentionally misapplied, embezzled, stole, and obtained by fraud, and otherwise without authority knowingly converted to her own use and the use of others, property valued at more than $5,000, that was owned by, and under the care, custody, and control of such an agency of State and Local government, that is, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, embezzled, converted, and misapplied monies and funds by using the Poplar School District credit cards for personal use and other unauthorized expenses, both for herself and others, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(I)(A).
Beginning in or about February 2014, and continuing thereafter until in or about July 2017, at Poplar, within Roosevelt County, in the State and District of Montana, and other places, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, having devised and intending to devise a material scheme and artifice to defraud the Poplar School District, for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, and attempting to do so, did knowingly transmit and cause to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate and foreign commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice.
During the period of the Indictment, it was part of the scheme and artifice to defraud the Poplar School District that the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, fraudulently used the Poplar School District credit cards for personal use and other unauthorized expenses, both for herself and for others.
During the period of the Indictment, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, having devised and intending to devise a material scheme and artifice to defraud, as described herein, for the purpose of executing the scheme to defraud, used a credit card and ordered items from Amazon, thereby transmitting and causing to be transmitted by means of wire communication affecting interstate commerce writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, from the State of Montana, to outside the State of Montana, including to Washington, Illinois, and elsewhere, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
The allegations set forth in Counts I and II of the Indictment are re-alleged as though fully set forth herein and incorporated by reference for the purpose of alleging forfeiture to the United States of America pursuant to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).
Upon conviction of any charge in the Indictment, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, shall forfeit to the United States, any property, real and personal, which constitutes and is derived from proceeds traceable to the offense, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 982(a)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c). The property subject to forfeiture includes:
A money judgment in the amount of $89,043.81.
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(I) , the defendant shall forfeit to the United States other property if any of the property described above as being subject to forfeiture, as a result of any action or omission of the defendant:
a. Cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence;
b. Has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party;
c. Has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the Court;
d. Has been substantially diminished in value; and
e. Has been commingled with other property that cannot be divided without difficulty.
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