Ricci Lea Castellanos, 34, of Great Falls, appeared in federal court on April 12 and pleaded not guilty to a 14-count indictment changing her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and student financial aid fraud.

Castellanos is accused of fraudulently obtaining federal student financial aid by using the names of unwitting family members and others to enroll at Great Falls College MSU and then using those identities to receive financial aid, according to U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson.

The indictment alleges that between January 2016 and December 2019, enrolled others in online classes at GFCMSU and while doing so, applied for and received federal student aid totaling about $126,219, none of which was allowed.

The indictment also alleges that Castellanos and others fraudulently used and submitted multiple American Indian tuition waivers. To support such applications, Castellanos and others created and used false tribal enrollment forms from Native American tribes, all of which were designed to result in larger student living expense refunds, and which were then diverted by Castellanos and others. The funds were diverted to Redding, Calif., causing a interstate wire communications charge, according to the indictment.

If convicted of the most serious crime, Castellanos faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the conspiracy and wire fraud crimes and two years in prison in addition to punishment for underlying felony, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided over the case and release Castellanos pending further proceedings.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Department of Education Office of Inspector General.