Faith Shields hires new attorney, trial moved to June

Fargo woman accused of misusing COVID-19 grant funds faces further delays in her case

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:56pm

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A Burleigh County judge has allowed Faith Shields, a Fargo woman accused of moving thousands of dollars of state COVID-19 grant money from her charity to personal and family accounts, to hire a new attorney, resulting in another delay in her trial. Shields' trial, which was originally scheduled for January and then April, is now set to start on June 9.

Why it matters

The case highlights issues around the oversight and accountability of COVID-19 relief funds, as well as the challenges prosecutors can face when dealing with defendants who change legal representation, leading to trial delays.

The details

Shields is accused of misusing funds from the COVID-19 grant program that were intended for her charity, Faith4Hope. Her now ex-husband, Charlies Dixon, is listed as a witness for the prosecution and has already pleaded guilty to one count of theft of property, with another count dropped. The judge sentenced Dixon to probation and $35,000 in restitution. Shields' case is being tried in Burleigh County since the alleged fraud involved the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction in Bismarck.

  • Shields' trial was originally scheduled for January 2026.
  • The trial was then moved to April 2026.
  • The trial is now set to start on June 9, 2026.

The players

Faith Shields

A Fargo woman accused of moving thousands of dollars of state COVID-19 grant money from her charity, Faith4Hope, to personal and family accounts.

Charlies Dixon

Shields' now ex-husband, who is listed as a witness for the prosecution and has pleaded guilty to one count of theft of property.

Thomas Dickson

The new attorney hired by Faith Shields to represent her in the case.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on June 9, 2026 whether to allow the trial to proceed with Shields' new attorney.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges prosecutors face when dealing with defendants who change legal representation, leading to trial delays, and the importance of ensuring proper oversight and accountability for COVID-19 relief funds to prevent misuse.