Fort Atkinson woman pleads guilty to seven criminal charges

A Fort Atkinson woman, 38-year-old Lisa Schroeder, has entered a guilty plea to six counts of forgery and one count of second degree theft in Winneshiek County.  Three additional forgery charges against Schroeder were dropped under the plea agreement.

Police say Schroeder and another person took a number of checks that were stolen or forged to State Bank in Calmar in October, then endorsed the checks and cashed them.  Bank surveillance footage showed Schroeder cashing the checks.

Judge John Bauercamper sentenced Schroeder to 15 years in prison on each of the seven charges, with the first two prison terms running consecutively.  But the prison sentence was then suspended and Schroeder was placed on probation for two to five years.  She was also ordered to repay the amounts of money she had taken by cashing the checks.  Failure to comply with the terms of probation would result in Schroeder's arrest and a future court hearing.