Milton-Freewater woman pleads guilty, sentenced in Walla Walla check fraud case
By Dan Thesman on Friday, August 7th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – A Milton-Freewater woman facing multiple felony check fraud charges in separate cases from 2024 and 2025 changed her plea to guilty and was sentenced in Walla Walla County Superior Court.
Jennica Leigh Steele Gonzales, 22, pleaded guilty to unlawful production of a payment instrument, forgery, and third-degree theft. Under a joint plea agreement presented by Walla Walla County Deputy Prosecutor Tyler Hensley and defense attorney Julie Karl, Judge Patricia Fulton sentenced Gonzales to credit for five days of time served and suspended 359 days of a 364-day jail term for 12 months.
As part of the plea agreement, a second pending case against Gonzales was dismissed.
The primary charges stemmed from an August 2025 incident in which Gonzales attempted to cash a fraudulent $500 check written on the account of a deceased Baker Boyer Bank customer. According to court documents, the account had been closed and was managed by an estate representative. Walla Walla police reported that Gonzales fled the bank after being asked to sign the document, leaving behind her photo identification. Investigators also linked her to a previously deposited $700 check from the same closed account.
During the hearing, Karl noted that the case resolution was delayed while Gonzales actively sought placement in a dual-diagnosis substance abuse treatment program. Fulton ordered Gonzales to report to district court probation within 15 days, obtain a substance use disorder evaluation within 60 days, and complete any recommended treatment within 90 days as conditions of her probation.
