MISSOULA — A Kalispell woman accused in a scheme to activate and use stolen credit or debit cards with personal information obtained from patient records at a Kalispell hospital has admitted to fraud charges.
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich says Alecia Mae Leonetti, 50, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on Friday, December 20.
Leonetti now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud charge and 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 was released pending further proceedings, according to a news release.
The government alleged in court documents that between September 2020 and December 2020, Leonetti’s co-defendant, Krista Hall, was employed at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Because of Hall’s employment, she had access to the hospital’s patient records.
Leonetti would obtain stolen credit or debit cards and then contact Hall for Hall to look up the cardholder’s personal identifying information. Leonetti would use the personal identifying information to activate the stolen card and then use the card to make purchases or withdraw cash.
Prosecutors say that in one instance, Leonetti obtained a Glacier Bank credit card belonging to John Doe, obtained Doe’s personal identifying information from Hall and activated the card. 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.
U.S. Magistrate Kathleen L. DeSoto presided with sentencing set for April 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case which was investigated by the FBI and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
