KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) – A Blackfeet tribal council member has been removed from office after authorities learned she was harboring a South Dakota man accused of child molestation.

The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council voted 7-2 Thursday to remove Councilwoman Cheryl Little Dog for violating her oath of office.

Chairman Harry Barnes said in a news release that the decision to expel Little Dog came after a man was arrested at her house in East Glacier last month. Officers found him hiding in the crawl space on Oct. 14. Court documents say he was wanted for molesting an 8-year-old girl in March and has been extradited to South Dakota to face a federal charge of abusive sexual contact.

Little Dog pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing justice and threatening a public official after tribal police say she interfered during the arrest, the Flathead Beacon reported.

“The entire council regrets having to take this action, but to take no action would be irresponsible,” Barnes said. “As elected leaders we are held to a higher standard and as such fall under much more scrutiny. We are responsible to the Tribal members for our actions.”

Little Dog’s attorney, Roberta Cross Guns, said she believes the council made the wrong choice in removing Little Dog from office.

“We are processing what has happened and are looking at what our next steps are,” Cross Guns said.

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Information from: Flathead Beacon, http://www.flatheadbeacon.com