U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Dates for Wind River Native American Conference (U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming, in partnership with the Department of Justice, Office of Victims of Crime; Bureau of Indian Affairs; and the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Business Councils will host the 8th Annual Wind River Native American Conference on Aug. 3-5, 2010.  This conference is provided for local, state, federal and tribal service providers and law enforcement and meant to enhance the effectiveness of the attendees in their important roles working with victims of crime.

www.justice.gov/usao/wy/pressrel/index.html

Former BIA Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Ward (U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota) Acting U.S. Attorney Lynn Jordheim announced that on July 19, 2010, Judson P. Elk pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of sexual abuse of a ward.  In August 2009, Elk was employed as a corrections officer at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Detention Center in Belcourt, N.D. During his working hours, Elk engaged in a sexual act with an inmate at the detention center. The activity was discovered when the inmate’s cellmate came forward with information about the event.

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Montana Man Sentenced in U.S. District Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, Mont., on July 19, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Dean Necklace was sentenced to a term of 37 months in prison, a $100 special assessment and three years supervised release.  Necklace was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to domestic assault by a habitual offender.

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South Dakota Man Sentenced for Distribution of Marijuana (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Charles Schrader, a Pine Ridge, S.D., man charged with distribution of marijuana was sentenced on July 16, 2010, to 33 months in prison three years of supervised release and a $100 victim assessment.  Schrader was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 18, 2009.  In April 2009 he distributed marijuana on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  Schrader pleaded guilty to the charge on March 2, 2010.

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South Dakota Man Sentenced on Drug Charges (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rapid City, S.D., man charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance was sentenced on July 16, 2010, by Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  Joseph Bradley was sentenced to 60 months in prison, three years of supervised release and a $100 victim assessment.  Bradley was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on May 19, 2009.  Johnson said the charges relate to incidents occurring between  2005 and 2009  when Bradley conspired with others to distribute cocaine and distributed it in South Dakota.  He was convicted by a federal jury following a trial on April 8, 2010.

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Oklahoma Woman Sentenced for Embezzlement and Theft (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma) U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling announced on June 16, 2010, that Gloria Ann Case, age 48, of Tahlequah, Okla., was sentenced to two years probation with six months of home confinement, for embezzlement and theft from an Indian tribal organization.  Case was also ordered to pay $10,213.21 in restitution to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.  Charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.  Case was indicted in February 2010 and pleaded guilty in April, 2010.   The indictment alleged that beginning in about March 2005 and continuing until about May, 2008, the defendant, an employee of the Cherokee Nation, accepted cash payments on tribal loans from tribal members and then created false receipts showing the money had been paid.   On other occasions Case would transfer funds between accounts in order to cover what she had taken.

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South Dakota Man Sentenced for Burglary (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rosebud, S.D., man charged with third degree burglary and aiding and abetting was sentenced on July 16, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.  Leonard Walking Eagle, aka Leonard Sharpfish, age 19, was sentenced to six months in prison, two years of supervised release, $11,320 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.  Walking Eagle was indicted for larceny, third degree burglary, and aiding and abetting by a federal grand jury on Feb. 18, 2010.  The charge relates to Walking Eagle's unlawful entry into the He Dog School and aiding and abetting others in the entry into the unoccupied structure, with intent to commit the crime of larceny.  Walking Eagle and two others stole numerous laptop computers from the school.

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South Dakota Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rosebud, S.D., man charged with assault with a dangerous weapon was sentenced on July 16, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.  Richard Provancial, age 47, was sentenced to 51 months in prison, two years of supervised release, $18 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.  Provancial was indicted for maiming and assault with a dangerous weapon by a federal grand jury on Feb. 18, 2010.  The charge relates to Provancial assaulting another person with scalding water on January 25, 2010.  He pleaded guilty to the charge on April 26, 2010.

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South Dakota Man Charged with Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Ralph Charles Bear Killer, age 59, of Allen, S.D., appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier on July 16, 2010, and pleaded guilty to a charge of abusive sexual contact of a child.  On or about between June 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2005, Bear Killer engaged in sexual contact with a girl who had not reached the age of 12 years.  The young girl was spending the night with the defendant’s child when the acts occurred.

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Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement from a Tribal Organization (U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi)

U.S. Attorney Donald R. Burkhalter announced on July 15, 2010, that Arlene Tubby, 44, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of over $4,000 from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians while employed as a court clerk for the Choctaw Tribal Court system in 2008.  Tubby is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 23, 2010, and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

www.justice.gov/usao/mss/press/index.html

Mississippi Woman Sentenced for Embezzlement from a Tribal Organization (U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi)

U.S. Attorney Donald R. Burkhalter announced on July 15, 2010, that Wendy Ben, age 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee to five years probation and ordered to pay $10,363 in restitution,.  Ben was previously convicted for embezzling funds from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians while employed as a court clerk for the Choctaw Tribal Court system from 2007 - 2008.

www.justice.gov/usao/mss/press/index.html

South Dakota Man Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting an Assault (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Ica-Hiya Ducheneaux, aka Ica-Hiye Ducheneaux, age 19, of Eagle Butte, S.D., appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on July 14, 2010, and pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged him with aiding and abetting an assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  The charges relate to events that took place in August 2009 when Ducheneaux and his co-defendant, Canton Luke Egna, entered a residence in Green Grass, S.D., at night, with the intent to commit an assault on a male occupant of the house.

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Montana Women Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, Mont., on July 14, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Dayna Jean Bear and Wallene Mary Bear pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

www.justice.gov/usao/mt/pressreleases/last20.html

Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Embezzlement and Theft (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma)

U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling announced on July 13, 2010, that Michael Marion Gibson, age 34, of Allen, Okla., was charged with embezzlement and theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.  The indictment alleges that on or about Aug. 2, 2006, the defendant, an employee of the Chickasaw Nation, stole more than $3,000.00 from money bags at the Chickasaw Nation Laser Zone Family Center.

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Oklahoma Woman Sentenced for Theft (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma) U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling announced on July 13, 2010, that Mary Lynn Ott-Clem, age 46, of Coalgate, Okla., was charged with theft by officer or employee of gaming establishment on Indian lands.  The indictment alleges that from on or about June 1, 2009, and continuing until on or about July 14, 2009, the defendant, an employee of the Choctaw Nation Stringtown Casino, embezzled more than $2,000.00.

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Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Theft (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma) U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling announced on July 13, 2010, that that Joe Elmer Ramos, age 37, of Valley View, Texas, pleaded guilty to theft by officer or employee of gaming establishment on Indian lands.  The indictment alleged that from on or about Oct. 17, 2006, and continuing until on or about Nov. 13, 2006, Ramos, a black jack dealer for the Chickasaw Nation Winstar World Casino, stole approximately $47,000.00.   The investigation revealed that the defendant was “palming” chips during most of his shifts. 

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South Dakota Woman Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Shirley Eagle Feather, age 59, of Mission, S.D., appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on July 12, 2010, and pleaded guilty to making a false statement.  The charge relates to Eagle Feather making materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations in a Social Security representative payee accounting report when answering the question of whether all of the children named in the form resided with her from July of 2008 to June of 2009.

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Wilbin Jesse Jackson Sentenced in U.S. District Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on July 12, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Wilbin Jesse Jackson, a 31-year-old resident of Rocky Boy, Mont., appeared for sentencing.  Jackson was sentenced to 21 months in prison, $100 special assessment and five years supervised release.  Jackson was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to abusive sexual contact.

www.justice.gov/usao/mt/pressreleases/last20.html