Barrett pleads guilty to 27 felonies in electronic banking theft case

Susan Renee Barrett, a Worland woman accused of electronic banking fraud with multiple victims, entered guilty pleas to 27 felonies at a change of plea hearing in Washakie County District Court on May 6.

According to an article covering a previous hearing in Barrett's case, between 2023 and 2024 in Washakie County, evidence collected from local banks shows that Barrett is documented as attempting to deposit money from the accounts of 13 unknowing victims (also living in Washakie County) into her private bank account.

For each of the 13 victims, she was originally charged with three felonies: theft, forgery and identity theft.

At the change of plea hearing, Barrett was prepared to plead guilty to all theft and forgery charges, as well as one more felony theft charge amended in to account for a 14th victim found later, for a total of 27 guilty pleas. According to a plea agreement she intended to enter, all of her identity theft charges would be dismissed.

As a consequence of her 27 felonies, she would receive 27 concurrent nine-to 10-year prison sentences, suspended pursuant to five years of supervised probation.

As for restitution, Washakie County and Prosecuting Attorney Anthony Barton stated that although Barrett had attempted to steal an estimated $64,000 across all of her victims, a majority of it was returned to the owners with their banks' internal theft prevention systems. The restitution that Barrett still owed in this case was calculated to be $13,745.26, a sum she'd be responsible to pay in monthly installments as part of her probation conditions.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing hearing for Barrett will follow. She is currently released on bond.