COEUR D'ALENE – Douglas R. Bisbee, 33, of Lapwai, Idaho, was convicted today by a federal jury in Coeur d’Alene of theft of government property in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

During the four-day trial, the jury heard evidence that Bisbee, an officer for the Nez Perce Tribe-Conservation Enforcement Office, was responsible for enforcing tribal hunting and fishing laws. Bisbee was entrusted with a government vehicle and assigned a government credit card to purchase gasoline solely for the government vehicle. Instead, according to trial testimony, Bisbee used the credit card to buy gasoline for his personal vehicles and vehicles belonging to relatives and friends. The jury found the loss to the government was over $20,000.

Bisbee faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

Sentencing is set for January 31, 2012, before U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.

“Mr. Bisbee was entrusted by the Nez Perce Tribe to use tribal resources to serve tribal members in his role as a conservation enforcement office,” said Olson. “Through his actions he violated that public trust. We are pleased that the jury understood the criminal nature of his conduct. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts of the General Services Administration-Office of Inspector General.”