A Cameron, Missouri woman pleaded guilty on Mar. 24 in federal court to a charge of bank fraud after admitting to forging checks and depositing them into her personal account while working as an escrow officer.
Tracy L. Kellerstrass, age 51 and a former employee of Cameron Title Company, entered her plea before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips. Kellerstrass waived her right to grand jury indictment and admitted to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents, Kellerstrass worked at Cameron Title Company from 2018 until February 2024. She was authorized to use company accounts only for business purposes but instead forged the signature of another employee on company checks as part of a scheme and presented them for payment. By pleading guilty, she acknowledged that she deposited these forged checks into her own account.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Kellerstrass faces forfeiture and restitution totaling $460,415.84. The maximum sentence under federal law is up to 30 years in prison without parole; however, the actual sentence will be determined by the court based on advisory guidelines and other statutory factors at a hearing scheduled for July 22.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Brown following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri handles federal prosecutions across 66 counties from Iowa’s border southward through Arkansas and eastward halfway across Missouri according to its official website. The office works with various law enforcement partners and supports outreach programs targeting issues such as violent crime and drug trafficking according to its official website. It operates offices in Kansas City, Jefferson City, and Springfield according to its official website.
