A Thermopolis woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a local group that raises money for the Future Farmers of America (FFA) pleaded guilty last week to half of the charges against her.
Cody Dyan Stewart, 36, changed her plea from not guilty, to guilty, Wednesday in Hot Springs County District Court, to five counts of felony forgery and one count of felony theft.
Another six felony counts originally charged against her in October will be dropped at sentencing, according to a Jan. 31 plea agreement between Stewart and the special prosecutor, Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen.
Itzen agreed to argue for a sentence of no more than 30 months in prison, while Stewart can argue for any sentence she would like, says the plea agreement.
Stewart’s attorney Christopher King declined to comment Monday.
Stewart may also have to pay restitution, including on the other counts to which she didn’t plead, the agreement says.
The document says that if District Court Judge Bill Simpson rejects Stewart’s plea agreement and sentences her to more than 30 months, she won’t get to withdraw her guilty plea.
FFA Alumni Group
Thermopolis Police Chief Pat Cornwell conducted the investigation in this case. He met with three members of the Thermopolis FFA Alumni Committee on the afternoon of Oct. 17 to discuss a report of theft, says a case evidentiary affidavit Cornwell wrote.
The group’s key mission is to support the middle school and high school FFA programs of Thermopolis by financing state and national competitions and building FFA college scholarships.
Stewart had been stealing from the group for three years, committee members told Cornwell.
Stewart was elected treasurer and began serving in that position Jan. 14, 2020, the affidavit says.
As of Jan. 31, 2020, the group’s checking account had a balance of $8,758.52. As of March 31, 2020, its savings account showed a balance of $11,538.30, wrote Cornwell.
The police chief wrote that the committee members provided him with their Pinnacle Bank checking and savings account information, including bank transactions and photocopied checks.
As of Oct. 17, 2024, the group’s checking account was in the negative $640.50, and its savings account was down to $2.95, the affidavit says.
Group members said all their checks require two signatures to be processed. “Several” members can sign to process a check, wrote Cornwell, including the group president and Stewart.
The Tally
The group’s president listed checks on which she believed Stewart had forged the president’s signature. Those were all made out to “Cody Stewart,” wrote Cornwell, and they include:
• Check No. 226 of Oct. 12, 2022, for $1,300
• Check No. 235 of May 13, 2023, for $600
• Check No. 236 of June 4, 2023, for $100
• Check No. 238 of June 8, 2023, for $150
• Check No. 239 of June 15, 2023, for $100
• Check No. 240 of June 19, 2023, for $150
• Check No. 243 of July 10, 2023, for $350
• Check No. 273 of Dec. 13, 2023, for $200
• Check No. 274 of Dec. 20, 2023, for $75
• Check No. 244 of July 19, 2023, for $105.76
Lastly, committee members told Cornwell that Stewart altered the written numerical sum on one check made out to her, inflating its value from $400 to $1,400, the chief wrote. He added that the group president said the initials on the numerical change were supposed to be hers but were forged.
Interviews
Cornwell conducted two interviews with Stewart at the Thermopolis Police Department on Oct. 18 and Oct. 20 and issued her Miranda warnings at the beginning of each interview, he wrote.
She said she understood those rights and agreed to speak to him without an attorney, Cornwell added.
The affidavit says Stewart told the chief that she stole between $15,000 and $18,000 from the committee’s bank accounts. It started in autumn 2021 and ended in September of this year, Stewart told Cornwell, according to the document.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
