The young Bigfork woman accused of helping stage a robbery at a Columbia Falls casino last year pleaded guilty to felony theft Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Katelynn Hayes, 18, admitted stealing $4,800 from the Glacier Gold Casino on Nov. 20 after she, a friend who worked at the casino, her brother and her boyfriend conspired to fake a robbery.

The Flathead County Attorney’s Office will recommend a three-year deferred sentence for Hayes, according to a plea agreement signed Thursday.

She’s scheduled to be sentenced July 18.

Hayes testified that she was the one who went inside the business, spoke with employee Darah Hughes and walked out with the money.

According to court documents, a panic alarm was activated at the casino at about 5 p.m. Responding officers spoke with Hughes who said someone entered the casino with “an object like a pistol in the sweatshirt pocket.” She said she could not determine the gender of the suspect.

Photographs released by the Sheriff’s Office showed Hayes, with her face hidden, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and a baseball hat while carrying a backpack.

Hayes said Thursday under questioning from her attorney Lane Bennett that she was driven away from the casino by her brother, 19-year-old Darren Hayes, and that Hughes’ role was to play the victim. The plan, she said, was prompted by her 16-year-old boyfriend Dustin Payne.

Hayes confirmed the involvement of all three of her co-defendants under questioning from Deputy County Attorney Lori Adams.

“The plan was to make it look like a robbery was happening?” Adams asked Hayes.

“Yes,” she replied.

Hayes said she would be willing to testify against her brother, Hughes and Payne if called upon to do so by prosecutors.

All three previously pleaded innocent to felony charges of accountability to theft, though Hughes and Darren Hayes both are expected to change their pleas to guilty at hearings scheduled for June 30.

Payne, who is being prosecuted in Youth Court, is scheduled to have a hearing on July 20.

Adams said she expects Glacier Gold Casino owner Greg Bauska to testify at Hayes’ July 18 sentencing hearing.

She said he has expressed his view that the business suffered bad publicity following the theft. Adams said he was onboard with the plea agreement but would like those responsible to face some amount of community service.

Hayes’ plea agreement also includes a guilty plea to accountability to theft related to the Nov. 13, 2010, theft of two sets of wheels and tires from Eisinger Motors in Kalispell. Payne also is a co-defendant in that case, along with two other men.