Wood County — A 48-year-old Winnsboro, Texas woman has been sentenced to federal prison for bank fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Mellissa Kay Morris pleaded guilty on Apr. 2, 2012, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.  Morris was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $108,101.28. 

According to information presented in court, while employed as assistant manager of Pioneer Credit Company in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, Morris devised a scheme in which she fraudulently created new loan applications for customers who did not have active loans.  Morris used the customer's name, social security number and other identifying information to create the loan application.  Morris would them approve the loan, issue a check in the name of the customer on Pioneer's account, sign the check on behalf of Pioneer and then forge the signature of the customer on the check.  Morris then used those funds for her personal gain. This fraudulent activity resulted in a financial loss of at least $200,000.  Morris was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 11, 2011. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan R. Jackson.