Tribal Justice News

WEEK OF DEC. 16, 2009

Man Admits to Using Counterfeit Poker Chips to Steal Money from Casino (U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma)

Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas Scott Woodward announced that a 49-year-old man pleaded guilty in federal court on Dec. 15, 2009, to stealing thousands of dollars from a northeastern Oklahoma casino.  William Reece Lancaster, of Joplin, Mo., pleaded guilty to the charge of theft from a gaming establishment on Indian land in excess of $1,000.   Lancaster admitted that he used a special process of bleaching and dyeing legitimate .25 cent poker chips to match the casino’s $500 chips.  He would then introduce the counterfeit chips into play at the blackjack tables or exchange them for cash at the cashier’s window.  He admitted using this method to steal at least $27,236 from the casino.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/okn/press/Lancaster_William_guilty_plea.pdf

41 Year-Old Arizona Man Sentenced to 19 Years Prison for Sexual Abuse of Nine-Year-Old Girl (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

Leslie Ranger, 41, of Sacaton, Ariz., was sentenced on Dec. 15, 2009, to 228 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Mary Murgia.  Ranger pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2009, to abusive sexual contact.  The facts showed that between July 2007 and July 2008, the nine-year-old victim had been living with her aunt and her aunt’s boyfriend, the defendant.  When the aunt was in the hospital getting dialysis treatments, the defendant would sexually abuse the child.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/index.html

Woman Indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter Sentenced to 30 Months Imprisonment (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a woman charged with involuntary manslaughter was sentenced on Dec. 14, 2009, by Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  Annie Miner, age 20, of Pine Ridge, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 to the Victim Assistance Fund. Miner was indicted for involuntary manslaughter by a federal grand jury on August 25, 2009.  Miner operated a motor vehicle at a high rate of speed while highly intoxicated, lost control while driving, and killed the passenger.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/RC-12-15-09-Miner.html

Woman Sentenced to Probation for Cocaine Conspiracy (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a woman charged with possession of cocaine was sentenced on Dec. 14, 2009, by Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  Nicolette Weston, aka Nikki Weston, age 28, of Pine Ridge, S.D., was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay $25 to the Victim Assistance Fund.  Weston pleaded guilty to a superseding information on Sept. 16, 2009, for possession of cocaine.  Weston and others distributed drugs on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation from 2002 through June 2008.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/RC-12-15-09-Weston.html

Woman Pleads Guilty to Assault (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Anna Mae Rowland, age 21, of Wounded Knee, S.D., appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on Dec. 14, 2009, and pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged her with assault with a dangerous weapon.  The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years of supervised release; and a $100 special assessment.  The charge relates to an assault on a Rosebud, S.D., woman in August 2008.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/Pierre-12-15-09-Rowland.html

Man Charged With Abusive Sexual Contact (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana)
Bill Mercer, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, announced that during a federal court session in Billings, Mont., on Dec. 14, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby, Richard Eugene Lone Bear, a 39-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared on a charge of abusive sexual contact.  He is currently detained.  If convicted of this charge, Lone Bear faces possible penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.

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

Man Sentenced for Assault (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a man charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury was sentenced on Dec. 14, 2009, by Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  Gerald Cottier, Jr., age 25, of Manderson, S.D., was sentenced to time served, three years supervised release and ordered to pay $100 to the Victim Assistance Fund.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/RC-12-15-09-Cottier.html

Sentencing in Sex Abuse of a Minor Case (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a man charged with sexual abuse of a minor was sentenced on Dec. 14, 2009, by Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  William Warrior, age 20, of Oglala, S.D., was sentenced to 24 months in prison, seven years supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 to the Victim Assistance Fund.  Warrior was indicted for sexual abuse of a minor by a federal grand jury on July 21, 2009.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/RC-12-15-09-Warrior.html

Woman Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Charity Faith Blue Thunder, age 51, of Mission, S.D., appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on Dec. 14, 2009, and pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged her with involuntary manslaughter.  The maximum penalty upon conviction is eight years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years of supervised release; and a $100 special assessment.  Restitution may also be ordered.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/Pierre-12-15-09-Thunder.html

Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Charges (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)  
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Orville Oldson, age 30, of Porcupine, S.D., appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier on Dec. 14, 2009, and pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The mandatory minimum and maximum penalty upon conviction is five to 40 years in prison, a $2,000,000 fine, or both.  Oldson pled guilty to conspiring with others to distribute cocaine on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/RC-12-14-09-Oldson.html

Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault With Truck (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)
Brian Lomax Begaye, 39, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced on Dec. 14, 2009, by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Rosenblatt to 51 months in federal prison.  Begaye pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, 2009, to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.  On March 1, 2009, Begaye assaulted another Indian adult male by running him over with a pick-up truck.  Begaye first hit the male in the chest and then ran over the victim’s legs.  The victim lost consciousness, suffered a collapsed lung and sustained injuries to his legs as a result of being hit by the truck.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/index.html

Man Indicted on Assault Charges (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Lantry, S.D., man was indicted by a federal grand jury for assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  Corey Daniel Moran appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on Dec. 11, 2009, and pleaded not guilty to the indictment.  The maximum penalty upon conviction for each count is 10 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years of supervised release; and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/Pierre-12-14-09-Moran.html

Man Sentenced for Child Sexual Abuse (U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming)
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming announced on Dec. 10, 2009, that Robert Calhoun, 25, of Crowheart, Wyo., was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge William F. Downes, for aggravated child sexual abuse and sexual abuse of a minor.  Calhoun received eight years in prison, a $1,000 fine and lifetime supervised release.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/offices/usa_listings2.html#w


Man Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)
U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Eugene Clifford, age 26, of Rosebud, S.D., appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on Dec. 10, 2009, and pleaded guilty to an indictment which charged him with assault with a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting.  The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years of supervised release; and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/Pierre-12-14-09-Clifford.html

Man Pleads Guilty to Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma)
Sheldon J. Sperling, U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced on Dec. 10, 2009, that Keith Wayne Billie, age 40, of Konawa, Okla., pleaded guilty to embezzlement and theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.  Billie was indicted in November 2009.  The indictment alleged that on or about Feb. 19, 2007, Billie, a security guard for the Chickasaw Enterprises Armored Car Division, stole approximately $10,000.00 in cash.  The statutory range of punishment is not more than five years in prison and/or up to $250,000.00 in fines.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/oke/press1209.html#billie

Northern Arizona Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

Leon Andrew Small, 29, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced on Dec. 9, 2009, by U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg to 51 months in prison for killing a 21-year-old member of the Navajo Nation and for seriously injuring two juvenile victims, also members of the Navajo Nation.  On Sept. 16, 2009, Small pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  In June 2008, Small was driving at a high rate of speed when he collided into an oncoming southbound vehicle driven by one of the victims.  The front seat passenger in Small’s vehicle died of multiple blunt force injuries resulting from the crash.  The driver of the other vehicle and her five children who were passengers, suffered serious injuries.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2009/2009-383(Small).pdf


Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Shaun Knox, age 20, of St. Francis, S.D., was convicted of sexual abuse as a result of a federal jury trial in Pierre on Dec. 8 and 9, 2009.  This charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both; a mandatory minimum of five years to life of supervised release; a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund, and restitution may also be ordered.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/Pierre-12-14-09-Knox.html

Woman Indicted for Abuse of a Minor (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota)

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Stephanie Yellow Boy, age 24, of Pine Ridge, S.D., was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 18, 2009, for abuse of a minor.  She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on Dec. 9, 2009, and pleaded not guilty to the indictment.  The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/media_news/RC-12-14-09-Boy.html