Bismarck Woman Scams People Out Of Money

According to the Bismarck Tribune, a Bismarck woman used fraudulent letters to talk people out of more than $750,000 on an opioid habit. Autumn Morrell plead guilty to three counts of theft and three counts of forgery. On Thursday February 13, 2020 South Central District Judge Pamela Nesvig sentenced Autumn Morrell to five years in prison.

Autumn Morrell was accused of using letters from South Central District Judge Cynthia Feland with Judge Feland's signature forged. She also is accused of using fake letters from other law firms to take the more than $757,700 from people. Most of the people she used to get the money were family friends. Some of the money was used to pay bills and buy items her sons needed.

Assistant Burleigh County State's Attorney Scott Miller said Morrell is a "con artist and manipulator," and he argued for a sentence that would punish her and deter others from doing something similar. Judge Nesvig said no one should be fooled or tricked out of money they were going to use for retirement.

South Central District Judge Pamela Nesvig sentenced Autumn Morrell to concurrent 20-year sentences with 15 years suspended and three years probation. Judge Nesvig also told Morrell she should start working multiple jobs when she gets out of prison. The judge said "You need to pay these people back."