MISSOULA–A Bozeman woman who admitted embezzling more than $400,000 while working as a bookkeeper for several businesses today was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $423,245 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Anna Michelle Niles, 47, pleaded guilty on June 3 to wire fraud.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

In a sentencing memo filed in the case, the prosecution recommended a sentence within the guideline range, which was 27 months to 33 months.

The prosecution said in court documents that from 2009 until 2018, Niles embezzled from Cresent Cross, LLP, Clair W. Daines, Inc., Genesis Partners, LLC, Bitterroot Turf Farm, Inc., and other related business entities while performing bookkeeping and accounting services. Niles defrauded the firms by diverting funds through checks, stealing cash, claiming leave she was not entitled to obtain, receiving unauthorized 401(k) loan payments and using business credit cards on personal expenses, none of which was authorized. The investigation found that Niles embezzled about $433,018 from the businesses. When interviewed by the FBI, Niles admitted to stealing from Cresent Cross, LLP, and writing checks from other businesses to cover up the fraud.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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MISSOULA–A Bozeman woman who worked as a bookkeeper for several businesses admitted this week to embezzling about $433,018 from the companies, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Anna Michelle Niles, 47, pleaded guilty on June 3 to wire fraud. Niles faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Niles was released pending further proceedings.

The prosecution said in court documents that from 2009 until 2018, Niles embezzled from Cresent Cross, LLP, Clair W. Daines, Inc., Genesis Partners, LLC, Bitterroot Turf Farm, Inc., and other related business entities while performing bookkeeping and accounting services. Niles defrauded the firms by diverting funds through checks, stealing cash, claiming leave she was not entitled to obtain, receiving unauthorized 401(k) loan payments and using business credit cards on personal expenses, none of which was authorized. The investigation found that Niles embezzled about $433,018 from the businesses. When interviewed by the FBI, Niles admitted to stealing from Cresent Cross, LLP, and writing checks from other businesses to cover up the fraud.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on a criminal complaint on Feb. 18 was:

Nicholas James Imhoff, 29, of Cape Floral, FL, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Imhoff faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Imhoff was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-13.

Appearing on Feb. 20 and pleading not guilty was:

Anfernee Jamal Limberhand, also known as Anfernee Jamal Whiteman, 21, of Lame Deer, on charges of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating or intimate partner. If convicted of the most serious crime, Limberhand faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Limberhand was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-11.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Feb. 18 was:

Anna Michelle Niles, 47, of Bozeman, on charges of wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Niles faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Niles was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-2.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Feb. 18 was:

Dakota Black Elk Houle, 22, on charges of possession of unregistered firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Houle faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Houle was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. 

This case is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in the fall of 2019 to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Through Project Guardian, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Montana is working to enhance coordination of its federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. In addition, Project Guardian supports information sharing and taking action when individuals are denied a firearm purchase by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for mental health reasons or because they are a prohibited person. Pacer case reference. 19-25.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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