Helena, Montana – In a case highlighting the growing focus on protecting vulnerable seniors, a Big Horn County woman has been sentenced after being convicted of financially exploiting her elderly mother and stepfather. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced that Kristel Marie Blair received a 10-year deferred imposition of sentence and was ordered to pay $101,171 in restitution for her actions.
The case carries additional significance because it marks the first conviction and sentencing investigated and prosecuted by the Montana Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Unit. The specialized unit was permanently created by the Montana Legislature in 2023 after being requested by Attorney General Knudsen to strengthen the state’s ability to investigate crimes targeting older residents.
Blair was convicted in August 2025 on two counts of exploitation of an older person or incapacitated person. At the time the crimes occurred, both victims were over the age of 65.
Abuse of Financial Authority
The investigation revealed that Blair had been given authority over her mother’s finances through a Power of Attorney agreement signed in early 2019. The document allowed Blair to manage financial matters and permitted her to make gifts to family members on behalf of her mother if those gifts followed an established pattern of giving.
However, the agreement included clear limits. The Power of Attorney specifically prohibited Blair from paying or compensating herself.
Despite those restrictions, investigators found that Blair began transferring large sums of money into her own accounts.
In December 2019, she wrote and deposited two checks totaling $61,000 from a joint bank account belonging to her mother and stepfather into her own account. Authorities say Blair claimed the money was intended as a gift investment, but the transactions were not permitted under the terms of the Power of Attorney.
The financial misconduct did not stop there.
Investigators later determined that Blair violated the agreement again in July 2020 when two additional transfers totaling $15,840 were moved from the same joint account into her personal account. Officials said these transactions also exceeded her authority and were not approved by her stepfather.
Altogether, the unauthorized transfers formed the basis of the criminal charges that led to her conviction.
Authorities also confirmed that Blair is currently facing similar charges in the state of Wyoming.
First Case for Montana’s Elder Justice Unit
The case was investigated through a multi-agency effort involving the Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation Elder Justice Unit, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Adult Protective Services, and the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming.
Prosecutors Angie Rolando of the Elder Justice Unit and former prosecutor Mike Fanning handled the case in court.
The Elder Justice Unit was established to address crimes involving financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect of older Montanans. Officials say the unit’s work focuses on identifying cases where seniors or vulnerable individuals are taken advantage of by family members, caregivers, or others in positions of trust.
State officials say the unit is already handling numerous investigations. According to the Montana Department of Justice, the Elder Justice Unit is currently investigating 12 active cases involving potential abuse or financial exploitation.
Authorities are encouraging residents to report suspected abuse involving seniors. Montanans who believe an older adult may be a victim of financial exploitation or other forms of abuse can contact the Montana Department of Justice at 406-444-3874.
Officials say the case demonstrates the importance of holding offenders accountable and protecting vulnerable residents from financial abuse, especially when the person responsible holds a position of trust within the family.
