PRESTON — A former administrator of a southeastern Minnesota tourism group, who admitted to stealing money from the nonprofit, was sentenced Tuesday in Fillmore County District Court.
Kristina Jeanne Nolte, 42, of Mabel, was ordered to serve 365 days in jail, with 356 days stayed for three years. In addition to the nine days of jail time, she must pay $14,990 in restitution and fines.
Nolte pleaded guilty in May to one count of gross misdemeanor theft by check. In exchange for the plea, an identical charge was dismissed, as were two counts of forgery and two counts of aggravated forgery, all felonies.
The case stems from an incident reported in December 2011, when investigators were contacted by the treasurer of Historic Bluff Country, who had concerns about the group's finances.
She told officials she believed Nolte had been using HBC funds for personal use, citing inconsistencies and suspicious transactions in the records dating back to Nolte's hiring in 2008.
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The treasurer learned Nolte had been using a credit card in the name of a former HBC employee, then paying the credit card bill from the group's bank account, according to the complaint.
In addition, board members of the group allege Nolte fabricated a board meeting and minutes in order to obtain a $15,000 loan for HBC, which they believe Nolte used to cover up some of the "suspicious financial transactions and irresponsible management of HBC," the report says.
