Nichole Rice’s theft plea ends in jail, probation
Nichole Rice sentenced to 60 days
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WILLISTON - Nichole Rice will serve 60 days in the Ward County Jail and two years of probation for theft from a Minot archery club.
Northwest District Judge Benjamen Johnson on Wednesday, Sept. 16, imposed a one year and one day sentence with the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with 60 days to be served in jail and the remainder suspended with the completion of 24 months of probation.
The sentence came following Rice's guilty plea to Class B felony theft between $10,000 and $50,000. A second charge of conspiracy to commit theft in excess of $50,000, a Class A felony, was dismissed.
Rice, who formerly served as treasurer of the Souris Valley Bowmen Club, and her husband, Dallas Rice, former club president, were charged in March with felony theft and conspiracy to commit theft of property.
According to the court affidavit, Souris Valley Bowmen board members discovered a large sum of money missing while investigating a bounced check in July 2025. Investigators found unauthorized transactions over an extended time that included ATM withdrawals, retail and online purchases, utility bill payments and a veterinary visit.
It was noted in court Wednesday that the Rices sold their house and made restitution of $160,000 to the club.
"I'm writing to you to personally express how deeply sorry I am for my actions," a teary Rice read from her letter to the judge. "Sorry for the responsibilities I failed to fulfill and for the hurt those failures have caused. I never set out to be malicious or hurt the Souris Valley Bowmen."
She said she is proud of the good things she and her husband accomplished for the club through countless volunteer hours but realizes she let down the members who placed their trust in her.
"The years leading up to this were some of the most difficult years my family and I have ever experienced," said Rice, who at the time was out on bond in connection with murder charges in the cold case involving the death of Minot State University student Anita Knutson, 18, in 2007. A jury found her not guilty in March 2025.
"My mental health during that period of time was not good," Rice said. "Regardless, I accepted responsibilities to the club and have failed to properly fulfill them."
A Class B felony is punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
The prosecution asked for a year and day in prison, capped at three months in jail as a condition of the guilty plea. The recommendation included no credit for time served and 18 months probation.
"They were aware the entire time they were stealing this money that it would cause or threaten harm to another person and their property," said Assistant Attorney General Jeremy Ensrud, prosecutor. "There is nothing to excuse or justify the defendant's conduct."
He acknowledged the theft was repaid, and Rice has no prior history of criminal activity. However, he noted the theft was a violation of the bond condition she was under at the time. He added jail time is needed because simply paying a fine is not a deterrent to stealing thousands of dollars.
Vinje sought a five-year sentence and three years probation but asked for a suspension of the entire incarceration.
"What I'm asking the court is to challenge my client with a very substantial prison sentence, with the lengthiest term of supervised probation that the law allows in a case of this nature, to prove to us that she won't be back. I think that with no criminal history in 39 years of her life I tend to think that she will show us that would be the right course of action. I don’t think there would be a single issue on probation," Vinje said.
Regardless, status as a felon will follow her the rest of her life, along with the collateral consequences that accompany that, he said.
The defense also presented a letter of reference from Rice's current employer.
Rice said she lost a job and had difficulty finding new employment. Neither she nor her husband are earning as much as they once did, making their financial situation more difficult.
"A period in which either of us cannot work will put our household in serious financial jeopardy," she said. "I do not tell the court this because I believe hardship should erase accountability. It should not. I share it with the court so they understand the reality of what our lives are and the consequences that will continue long after the proceedings are over."
Johnson said he saw no substantial grounds to excuse the conduct around the theft.
"Ultimately in this case, there are a lot of positive factors for Ms. Rice. She did pay the restitution. She's taking responsibility. She's lived a significant term of life in a law-abiding fashion," he said. However, he added, "She should have known better at 39, and from what I read in the affidavit, this wasn’t money that was used to pay hardship things - medical bills. It was used to enjoy a lifestyle that maybe otherwise would not have been available to Ms. Rice. So, I do think it is a serious matter."
The 60-day jail sentence is set to begin Jan. 31, 2027, taking into consideration Rice's concern for caregiving related to her teenage daughter's upcoming surgery. Because of the jail delay, probation was extended from the 18 months recommended by the prosecution to 24 months, which would begin immediately.
Johnson said if the defendant and prosecution come to an agreement on an earlier start date for the jail sentence, the court would entertain an amendment.
Rice also was assessed court costs of $775.
Dallas Rice is scheduled to enter a plea on Sept. 28 in North Central District Court on two Class A felony charges of conspiracy to commit theft in excess of $50,000 and theft over $50,000.