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A plea agreement option has dissolved for Dallas Rice of Minot, who withdrew his plea of guilty to conspiracy to commit theft in North Central District Court Friday, Oct. 16.
Rice was charged in March with theft over $50,000 and conspiracy to commit theft in excess of $50,000, both Class A felonies, in connection with money discovered missing in July 2025 from Souris Valley Bowmen, where Rice had served as president. Rice repaid about $160,000 in restitution.
Rice had pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in a plea agreement rejected by District Judge Gary Lee on Sept. 28. Rather than allow the plea to be withdrawn, Lee canceled bond and had Rice taken into custody.
Rice and his attorney, Ashley Gulke, asked the North Dakota Supreme Court to reverse Lee's order, which was granted. The Supreme Court has not acted on Rice's additional request for a new judge.
Lee reinstated Rice's original unsecured bond of $5,000 on Friday after allowing Rice to withdraw his guilty plea so he can be released from custody. The plea agreement would have dismissed the theft charge and sentenced Rice only on the conspiracy charge. Details of a proposed sentence were not disclosed.
With the plea withdrawal, Rice continues to face both counts, which each carry a penalty of 20 years in prison or a $20,000 fine.
A status conference will be held Nov. 17, and a jury trial has been scheduled for Jan. 19-22.