Women plead guilty for fraud scheme across multiple counties

SANTA FE — Two women from Chimayo face up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to theft and a bank fraud scheme across multiple counties.

According to court documents, Billie Jo Gussler and Angelica Dominguez entered the Valero gas station located on Tesuque Pueblo May 22, 2022, and took property valued at more than $1,000, including lottery tickets and cigarettes.

Between Jan. 6, 2020, and Aug. 19, 2022, Gussler and Dominguez engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme across Sandoval, Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties. The pair targeted multiple federally insured financial institutions, including Del Norte Credit Union, Bank of America, U.S. Bank, Century Bank, Enterprise Bank and Trust, Washington Federal Bank and SoFi Bank.

The fraudulent activities involved altering and forging checks to withdraw funds unlawfully from account holders and financial institutions.

Gussler and Dominguez will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. Upon their release, Gussler and Dominguez will be subject to up to five years of supervised release.