KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two former Wyandotte County District Court bookkeepers were sentenced to several years in prison for using their positions to steal from taxpayers.
Julia Roberts and Vicki Robinson pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in the theft of nearly $1 million in taxpayer dollars.
Roberts was sentenced to 41 months (three years, five months), and Robinson was sentenced to 27 months (two years, three months) in prison.
“They were thick as thieves, and now the two thieves are headed to prison for stealing from the Wyandotte County District Court,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in a news release.
The pair worked together to steal incoming cash by forging the court clerk’s signature and fabricating memo lines to appear to be legitimate court business, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
During the scheme, Roberts was the accounting supervisor, meaning she was in charge of collecting and depositing funds into the court’s bank account. She was Robinson’s superior.
Roberts had several significant transactions at a casino — $1 million in 2017, $480,000 in 2018 and $251,000 in 2019 — while they were stealing money. Her casino transactions dropped once she retired.
The attorney’s office also noted that Roberts deposited more than $80,000 into her bank account from 2018–2020, and that Robinson deposited $20,000 into her personal account from 2021–2023.
In August 2025, Robinson admitted to the FBI that she stole money, explaining that Roberts showed her how to do it. Roberts also admitted to federal officers that it was her idea.
The pair is individually and collectively responsible for paying $979,962 in restitution.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod said the sentencing sends a clear message that there is zero tolerance for such behavior.
“Anyone who exploits public office for personal enrichment will be thoroughly investigated, held accountable and brought to justice,” Ormerod said.
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