United States Attorney Leura G. Canary Middle District of Alabama

INDIAN CASINO WORKER INDICTED ON CONSPIRACY AND THEFT

MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Leura G. Canary, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, announced that an indictment was unsealed today charging Kala Dennis, age 24, of Montgomery, Alabama, with conspiracy and theft of funds from an Indian casino.

The Indictment alleges that Dennis was employed at the Tallapoosa Entertainment Center ("TEC") in Montgomery, which is owned and operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. In July 2004, TEC employee Frederick Burrell developed a scheme whereby he could take money from TEC and make false entries on TEC records to conceal the thefts. After committing 2-3 thefts on his own, Burrell recruited Dennis to participate. She agreed, and over the next several months she and Burrell stole approximately $128,000 together when they were both working. She also took $131,000 on her own when Burrell was not working.

At her initial appearance and arraignment today before United States Magistrate Judge Wallace Capel, Jr., Dennis entered a plea of not guilty and was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond. Trial was scheduled for July 9, 2007, before Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Fuller.

Count 1 of the indictment charges Dennis with conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Counts 2-41 charge theft of more than $1000 by an Indian casino employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1168(b). Count 42 charges theft by an Indian casino employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1168(a). The statutory maximum sentences are 5 years and a $250,000 fine for Count 1; 20 years and a $250,000 fine per count for Counts 2-41; and one year and a $100,000 fine for Count 3. Dennis could also be ordered to pay restitution.

Today’s events are the latest development in this investigation. On April 27, 2006, Frederick Burrell pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with theft from an Indian casino based on his role in the scheme. In his plea agreement, Burrell agreed to cooperate with the Government’s investigation. Burrell’s sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2007 before Senior United States District Judge William H. Albritton.

The investigation of Burrell and Dennis was led by the United States Department of Interior, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of investigators from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew O. Schiff.

An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.