LAS VEGAS -- A former Nevada Power employee has been indicted by a federal grand jury on wire fraud charges.

Kyle Roher, 38, stole at least $1.6 million from a Nevada Power bank account, said Gregory A. Brower, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Roher, of Las Vegas, was indicted on April 2 and charged with 19 counts of wire fraud and criminal forfeiture.

"It is a federal offense to use interstate commerce to execute a scheme to defraud," Brower said. "Individuals who steal or embezzle monies and use wire transfers to do so face the risk of federal charges."

According to the indictment, Roher was employed as a senior business analyst at Nevada Power who was responsible for financial planning. Between September 2002 and October 2006, investigators said Roher created 19 forgeries that drafted money from the utility company's general spending bank account, which was deposited into two bank accounts that Roher controlled.

If convicted, Kyle Roher faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.