The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Katie Stygles, 29, of Piermont, New Hampshire, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to federal fraud charges. U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy released Stygles on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
On Sept. 28, 2017, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a two-count indictment charging Stygles with wire fraud and access device fraud. According to the indictment, Stygles began working for ARC Mechanical Contractors in Bradford, Vermont in 2010. In February 2016, she was promoted to the position of office manager. In that job, Stygles had access to the company credit card number, which she used to order supplies.
According to the indictment, beginning in August 2016 and continuing through early May 2017 when she was fired, Stygles used the ARC Mechanical credit card about 130 times to purchase tack, barn supplies and equine, canine and livestock products for KMS Stables, a business that Stygles owned. She ordered the products from a vendor in Ohio using ARC Mechanicals telephones and computers. During this time period, Stygles also diverted customer payments that were intended for ARC Mechanical into a Pay-Pal account for KMS Stables, and used ARC Mechanicals United Parcel Service account to pay for goods she was shipping to customers of KMS Stables.
The indictment charges that the total fraud amounted to more than $73,000.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty.
If convicted, Stygles faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bradford Police Department and the United States Secret Service.
Stygles is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Steven Barth. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
--DOJ District of Vermont
Source: U.S. Secret Service