Billings Woman Indicted in Watertown on 13 Identity Theft Counts, Forgery, Drug Charges, and Receiving Stolen Property

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A Montana woman already facing charges from a January 4 stolen‑vehicle arrest in Watertown is now accused of a wide‑ranging identity theft and forgery scheme after a Codington County grand jury returned a 13‑count indictment against her this week.

Ashlee Blaine Wiediger, 36, of Billings, Montana, was indicted January 8 on 13 counts of identity theft, forgery, possession of a controlled substance, and receiving stolen property valued between $100,000 and $500,000, according to court documents. The charges stem from a January 6 investigation at the Days Inn in Watertown, where police say they uncovered blank checks, forged documents, methamphetamine, and identifying information belonging to multiple victims.

Wiediger was initially taken into custody on January 6 after officers located her at the hotel while a search warrant was being prepared. A magistrate judge later found probable cause for the arrest and set a $2,000 cash‑only bond, ordering that she remain detained until providing a clean drug test.

Hotel Staff Report Suspicious Items, Triggering Investigation

According to a probable cause statement filed by Detective Sigurd Sivertson of the Watertown Police Department, hotel staff contacted police on January 6 after two tenants — identified as Wiediger and co‑defendant Christopher Garrison — left their room several days earlier and did not return.

Staff reported finding “blank checks and suspected controlled substances” while cleaning the room. Sivertson wrote that employees confirmed the identities of both Garrison and Wiediger after being shown booking photographs.

The detective noted that the pair had been involved in a separate incident two days earlier, on January 4, when they were stopped in a stolen vehicle. During that traffic stop, officers found methamphetamine, suspected forged checks, a printer, and multiple state identification cards belonging to other women. Both were arrested at that time.

Wiediger Arrested at Hotel as Search Warrant Prepared

While officers were drafting a search warrant for the Days Inn room, Wiediger unexpectedly arrived at the hotel. Sivertson wrote:

“I informed Ashlee that she was under arrest for forgery, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.”

Wiediger told officers that a taxi outside contained her belongings. The taxi driver unloaded the items onto the sidewalk before Wiediger was transported to the Codington County Detention Center.

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Search Reveals Checks, IDs, Mail, Meth, and Paraphernalia

Once the warrant was signed, officers searched Room 208 and recovered:

·         A bundle of blank checks

·         Passports and identification cards belonging to multiple individuals

·         Mail addressed to other people, suggesting possible mail theft

·         Hypodermic needles

·         A methamphetamine pipe

·         A crushed line of methamphetamine

·         A baggie containing methamphetamine

Officers also searched the belongings Wiediger brought in the taxi, locating:

·         A Visa card belonging to another person

·         A digital scale with white powder residue

·         A trespass form from another law enforcement agency

·         The same printer recovered during the January 4 stolen‑vehicle investigation

One of the names found in her belongings matched the name on the trespass form, indicating Wiediger had allegedly used that person’s identity during a prior police contact.

Garrison was later served with matching charges while already in custody.

Grand Jury Returns 13 Identity Theft Counts

The indictment outlines a sweeping list of charges:

Felony Charges Filed Against Wiediger

·         Receiving Stolen Property (Class 3 Felony) — property valued between $100,000 and $500,000

·         Forgery (Class 5 Felony)

·         Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) (Class 5 Felony)

·         13 Counts of Identity Theft (Class 6 Felonies)

Each identity theft count alleges that Wiediger “obtained, possessed, transferred, used, attempted to obtain, or recorded identifying information” of another person without authorization and with intent to deceive or defraud.

Detective Sivertson was the sole witness to testify before the grand jury.

In an email filed with the court, Magistrate Judge Gary Schumacher ruled that probable cause existed for all charges and set bond at $2,000 cash only. Conditions include:

·         Remain law‑abiding

·         Sign a waiver of extradition

·         Stay within South Dakota

·         No contact with any victims of the alleged forgery or identity theft

·         Appear at all court hearings

·         Remain detained until providing a negative drug test

The Codington County Clerk of Courts will schedule Wiediger’s initial court appearance.

Case Background: Prior Arrest Two Days Earlier

Court documents note that Wiediger had been arrested on January 4 for:

·         Possession of a stolen vehicle

·         Possession of methamphetamine

·         Possession of another person’s identification

The January 6 arrest and subsequent indictment appear to expand the scope of the investigation significantly, adding allegations of large‑scale identity theft and stolen property valued at up to half a million dollars.

Guilty Pleas Entered; Judge Revokes Bonds

During the recent change‑of‑plea hearings, Wiediger pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property, each a Class 3 felony.

Following the pleas, Judge Means revoked both defendants’ bonds, ordering them held with no bond until sentencing.

Wiediger is represented by Tim Cummings, and Garrison is represented by Amanda Thole.

The case remains open, and all charges are accusations at this stage. Wiediger is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.