New York Woman Pleads Not Guilty In Scheme To Steal Thousands From Wyoming Banks

A New York woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Natrona County District Court for her role in an alleged out-of-state crime ring that tried to steal thousands from a Casper bank. Christine Fitzpatrick, 38, originally charged as a “Jane Doe,” faces felony counts of conspiracy to commit forgery, conspiracy to commit theft, and possession of forged writings.

According to an affidavit, Fitzpatrick and her partners allegedly had been successful earlier in the day in taking $12,500 from an ANB Bank branch in Buffalo, Wyoming. The charges stem from an April 3 incident when a Casper ANB branch called police about a woman trying to obtain an $8,400 line of credit using a military ID that did not belong to her. Police found Fitzpatrick in an alley near the bank, approaching a black Mitsubishi Mirage that immediately left the scene when an officer activated her lights. The vehicle was later located by Laramie County sheriff’s deputies, and two suspects—Anthony Reynolds, 21, and John Stallworth, 45—were arrested on drug charges and now face conspiracy charges in Natrona County.

Police reported that Fitzpatrick possessed a fraudulent U.S. Army ID and a fraudulent U.S. passport, both bearing her photo but a different name. Fitzpatrick told police that during her three days in Wyoming, she committed several line-of-credit withdrawals from numerous banks. She said she made three successful withdrawals of $8,400 at unknown banks two days prior, had two unsuccessful attempts on April 2, and successfully withdrew $12,500 from the ANB Bank in Buffalo. She admitted she knew the IDs were fraudulent and said she had been instructed to leave all her identifying information in New York. A phone seized from Fitzpatrick contained information about the person named on the fraudulent IDs.

The Washakie Sheriff’s Office contacted Casper police about an identity theft case involving that same name, and the Buffalo Police Department confirmed the $12,500 theft.

Fitzpatrick appeared before Judge Kerri Johnson with attorney Dylan Rosalez. Rosalez asked the judge to lower her $100,000 cash bond to $5,000, arguing his client “got into her scenario” because of drug addiction and that her mother would get her a room. Assistant District Attorney Amanda Kirby countered that police could not initially confirm Fitzpatrick’s identity due to her false ID, that she was part of a conspiracy that had already taken money from other banks, and that she had no ties to Wyoming. Judge Johnson kept the bond at $100,000. “She has zero ties to Wyoming,” Johnson said.

Both conspiracy charges carry potential penalties of 10 years in prison and $10,000 fines. Possession of forged writings carries up to five years and a $5,000 fine.