A Kalispell woman used checks stolen from a mailbox to deposit $1,700 into her bank account in early 2021, authorities say.

Brittney Marie Frehse, 35, is being held in the county jail on a $10,000 bond pending her April 28 arraignment. Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office began investigating her in January 2021 after the missing checks were reported as stolen.

The victim told authorities the checks were taken from her mailbox. Three of the checks, for a total of $1,700, were later allegedly made out to Frehse, court documents said.

The victim said that while the checks bore her name, she did not sign them. And Frehse was unknown to her, she said.

In March, detectives got copies of the allegedly fraudulent checks from the victim. A review of Frehse’s bank activity determined that three checks totaling $1,700 were deposited into her account during the prior November.

Forgery, between $1,500 and $5,000, is punishable by a $1,500 fine and three years in Montana State Prison. A second offense carries a maximum penalty of five years prison time and a $1,500 fine. A third offense is punishable by between two and five years behind bars and a $5,000 fine.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].