A former Special Olympics Wyoming employee accused of stealing more than $200,000 from the nonprofit has agreed to plead guilty to six felonies, bringing one of Wyoming's most closely watched charity theft cases a major step closer to resolution.
A plea agreement filed in Natrona County District Court shows Christine Rodriguez, 57, of Bar Nunn, will plead guilty to three counts of felony theft and three counts of felony forgery. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three additional forgery charges, according to documents made available Monday.
The agreement still must be accepted by a judge.
Rodriguez's attorney, Ryan Semerad, declined to discuss the specifics of the agreement before sentencing but said his client is accepting responsibility.
"She is very remorseful for her actions and deeply regrets them," Semerad told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday, adding the defense plans to address those issues more fully at sentencing.
Rodriguez worked for Special Olympics Wyoming for roughly a decade before the alleged thefts came to light.
Police Called Alleged Scheme 'Sophisticated'
Casper police arrested Rodriguez in April after a monthslong financial crimes investigation into the missing money.
Investigators alleged Rodriguez embezzled roughly $206,000 over several years by writing unauthorized checks, falsifying financial records, forging signatures and concealing missing cash.
Police described the alleged scheme as "sophisticated," alleging Rodriguez altered audit documentation and misapplied deposits to hide missing cash. Investigators said those actions concealed the missing money from the nonprofit for years.
When Rodriguez first appeared in court in April, she was charged with nine felonies — three counts of theft and six counts of forgery.
The alleged theft reached far beyond a balance sheet. The missing money belonged to a nonprofit that raises funds to provide year-round athletic training and competition for Wyoming athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Lead investigator Officer Jace Carver added that crimes involving charitable organizations ultimately hurt the athletes and families those organizations exist to serve.
Three Charges Dismissed
Under the negotiated plea agreement, Rodriguez will plead guilty to the three theft charges and the first three forgery charges.
The remaining three forgery counts will be dismissed.
The agreement also outlines how the parties will recommend Rodriguez be sentenced.
The three theft convictions would run concurrently, and the three forgery convictions would also run concurrently. Those two groups of convictions, however, could be ordered to run consecutively, leaving Rodriguez with a maximum sentencing exposure of 18 to 20 years in prison.
The plea agreement also states Rodriguez cannot withdraw her guilty pleas if the judge ultimately imposes a sentence different from the prosecution's recommendation.
Restitution Still Pending
Rodriguez agreed to pay restitution for all criminal conduct, including losses tied to the three forgery charges to be dismissed.
The final restitution amount has not been determined, though both sides anticipate it will exceed $200,000, the plea agreement says.
Police credited Special Olympics Wyoming with providing extensive financial records and cooperating throughout the investigation.
Because of the scope and complexity of the review, detectives enlisted the Rocky Mountain Information Network — part of the Regional Information Sharing Systems network — to help analyze the records.
Investigators also noted the case carried added significance because of Special Olympics Wyoming's longstanding partnership with law enforcement through programs such as the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Tip-A-Cop fundraisers.
Organization Waiting For Sentencing
Special Olympics Wyoming CEO Jen Haines declined to comment on the specifics of the plea agreement, saying the organization does not want to jeopardize the proceedings and plans to speak more openly once the case is resolved.
Haines did confirm one important detail: The organization has not received any restitution while the criminal case remains pending. She said the restitution amount, along with any prison sentence, is expected to be determined at sentencing.
In a written statement, the organization said it remains focused on the people it serves.
"Special Olympics Wyoming is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and protecting the interests of all of our athletes, donors, and supporters,” it says. "Special Olympics Wyoming appreciates the past, and continued, much-needed support of SOWY athletes at this time. SOWY has been offering sports training and competition programming since 1972 and looks forward to the continued implementation of our mission to benefit athletes with intellectual disabilities from across Wyoming."
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
