Former city clerk pleads guilty to defrauding Idaho town of nearly $200,000

A former city clerk in New Plymouth, who served in the role for over a decade, pleaded guilty to a scheme that saw her defraud the small Southwest Idaho town of nearly $200,000, acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced in a news release Friday.

Danielle Painter, 41, of Fruitland, was charged with a felony count of wire fraud in federal court on April 11, according to court documents. Her guilty plea means she will be sentenced Aug. 5, and she faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000.

Painter was employed as the city clerk/treasurer for New Plymouth from 2012 to 2023, and was responsible for recording credit card charges in the accounting system, issuing credit card payments and retaining statements, the news release said.

Between 2017 and 2023, Painter defrauded the city by using official New Plymouth credit cards for personal expenses such as retail and restauraunt purchases, travel and concerts, and medical bills, court records showed.

The unauthorized purchases totaled $196,947, which Painter tried to hide by entering them as professional services for the city.

“The Idaho State Police takes our responsibility seriously to uphold public trust and protect taxpayer dollars,” Lt. Jack Catlin said in the release. “This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with local and federal agencies and our shared commitment to holding individuals accountable when that trust is violated.”