CASPER - A 38-year-old New York woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Natrona County District Court for her role as part of an alleged out-of-state crime ring that tried to steal thousands from a Casper bank.
She and her partners allegedly had been successful in taking $12,500 from a Buffalo ANB branch earlier in the day.
Christine Fitzpatrick, originally charged as a “Jane Doe” in Casper Circuit Court, stood before Judge Kerri Johnson with her attorney Dylan Rosalez and listened to the judge read the charges against her.
Those included conspiracy to commit forgery, conspiracy to commit theft and possession of forged writings — all felonies.
Fitzpatrick told Johnson she understood the charges and potential penalties she faces. The judge asked her how she would plead.
“Not guilty, your honor,” Fitzpatrick said.
Rosalez asked the judge to consider lowering her $100,000 cash bond to $5,000 cash or surety. He said his client “got into her scenario” because of a drug addiction.
“Her mother would be willing to get her a room,” he said. “If not, she could stay at the mission.”
Natrona County Assistant District Attorney Amanda Kirby told the judge that when Fitzpatrick was initially arrested police couldn’t confirm her true identity due to her possession of a false ID, that she was part of a “conspiracy” that had already taken money from other banks, and was only in the county because they had targeted the Casper bank.
Rosalez countered that his client did provide her name to police and was “honest” about her involvement.
Johnson ruled that the current bond was appropriate.
“She has zero ties to Wyoming,” Johnson said.
Line Of Credit Scheme
Charges against Fitzpatrick stem from a Casper ANB Bank branch call to the Casper Police Department at 4:30 p.m. on April 3 about a woman trying to obtain a $8,400 line of credit using a military ID of a woman they did not believe was the person standing in front of them.
Police found Fitzpatrick in an alley near the bank and approaching a black Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback that immediately left the scene when the officer initiated her lights, a police affidavit states.
The vehicle was later located by Laramie County Sheriff’s deputies and two suspects were arrested and charged with drug possession.
Both suspects now are in Natrona County and facing conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit theft charges. Anthony Reynolds, 21, was bound over to Natrona County District Court on April 24 and John Stallworth, 45, bound over to district court on May 5.
Casper reported that Fitzpatrick possessed a fraudulent U.S. Army ID and another a fraudulent U.S. passport. Both had the same name on the IDs and displayed Fitzpatrick’s photo.
“(Fitzpatrick) stated that during her three days in Wyoming she committed several line-of-credit withdrawals from numerous banks in the state,” the affidavit states. “Two days prior to to this incident, she made three successful withdrawals in the amount of $8,400 at unknown banks.”
Fitzpatrick told police she had two unsuccessful attempts at other banks in the state on April 2 but had been able to successfully withdraw $12,500 from the ANB Bank in Buffalo.
The woman also told police she did not know what city she was in but knew she was in the state of Wyoming and that she knew the IDs she possessed were fraudulent.
Fitzpatrick also told police she had been instructed to leave all her identifying information in New York.
A phone seized from Fitzpatrick contained information on the name of the person on the passport and U.S. Army ID.
The Washakie Sheriff’s Office contacted Casper Police about an identity theft case involving the name of the woman on the IDs carried by Fitzpatrick, the affidavit states.
The Buffalo Police Department confirmed to a Casper investigator the theft of $12,500 from the Buffalo ANB Bank branch.
Both the conspiracy to commit forgery and theft charges carry potential penalties of 10 years in prison and $10,000 fines. The possession of forged writings is punishable by up to five years in prison and $5,000 fine.
