Alcester woman sentenced 2 years for wire fraud

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KELO) — An Alcester woman was sentenced to two years in federal prison Monday for wire fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Michelle Warner, 57, held multiple positions at Heartland Counseling Services, where she began embezzling money in 2018 through 2022 as a bookkeeper and later as a business administrator.

She fraudulently paid herself unauthorized payroll payments and then used the funds for her own purposes. Warner also used her employer’s credit card without authority for her own personal use.

Warner was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. She pleaded guilty on March 20, 2024.

In addition to her sentence, she will have three years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100; and pay restitution in the amount of $261,066.09 to Heartland Counseling Services.

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