A 59-year-old Kalispell woman who embezzled almost $500,000 from a local manufacturing company was sentenced yesterday to 14 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Rita Ann Pierce in March 2025 pleaded guilty to wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen.
According to court documents, Pierce embezzled money from Pierce Manufacturing, a family-owned business, while she was bookkeeping for the company. An audit revealed Pierce had been entering fraudulent names in the ledger and making transactions appear legitimate while funds were funneled into her private bank account.
The investigation determined Pierce embezzled approximately $496,881 during a four-year span between 2016 and 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.