Kalispell Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges

A 50-year-old Kalispell woman accused of a scheme to activate and use stolen credit and debit cards with personal information obtained from patient records at the healthcare system formerly known as Kalispell Regional Medical Center (KRMC) admitted Friday to federal charges of wire fraud and identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Alecia Mae Leonetti pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft before U.S. Magistrate Kathleen L. DeSoto. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for the wire fraud charge. Additionally, she faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft charge.

Leonetti’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 24, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. She was released pending further proceedings.

According to court documents, Leonetti’s co-defendant, Krista Hall, was employed at KRMC between September and December of 2020. Leonetti would obtain stolen credit or debit cards and then receive the cardholder’s personal identifying information attached to the cards from hospital records.

Leonetti would then use the identifying information to activate the stolen cards, which she would use to make purchases or withdraw cash.

In one instance, Leonetti obtained a Glacier Bank credit card, which she activated using the victim’s personal identifying information that she obtained from Hall.

Leonetti admitted to law enforcement she accumulated more than $2,400 in charges at several Kalispell businesses over two days in September 2020.

Hall has pleaded not guilty to charges in the case and is pending trial.

The FBI and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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