A Rapid City woman faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of taking more than $200,000 from a local insurance agency.

A grand jury indictment charged Dorothy "Dotti" L. Dean, 41 with one count of aggregated and aggravated grand theft for taking more than $100,000 from Life Security Agency and agent Alan Berghagen. The charge is a class 3 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Dean also faces five counts of forgery, which are class 5 felonies, each carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Dean, 41, pleaded not guilty at her initial court appearance Monday and is being held in the Pennington County Jail under a $50,000 bond.

According to court documents, Dean is accused of taking property in excess of $100,000 from Life Security Agency between April 13, 2007, and Jan. 21, 2009.

The forgery charges stem from five checks Dean allegedly wrote to herself on a Life Security Agency account with Rapid City Federal Credit Union in 2008.

During her court appearance Monday, Dean's attorney asked for a bond reduction. Dean is a lifelong member of the community and a mother of two who poses no flight risk, the attorney said.

Prosecuting attorney Jennifer Utter said, although Dean appears to have no prior criminal history, the bond should stay in place because the restitution amount is $209,000. Because Dean made her initial appearance in magistrate court, Judge Mark Marshall did not have the authority to reduce the $50,000 bond set when a warrant was issued for Dean's arrest.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com.