Former Tribal Executives Sentenced for Embezzlement

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that former executive board members of the Big Coulee District of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe were sentenced in federal court on August 21, 2017.

Gerald German Jr., 46, of Peever, South Dakota, was sentenced to 3 months of imprisonment, ordered to pay restitution in the total amount of $79,960, and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $5,000. German’s restitution amount includes $63,000 to the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, which is from a separate case in which he was indicted. That case was dismissed pursuant to the plea agreement.

Gerald Heminger Jr., 58, of Sisseton, South Dakota, was sentenced to 3 months of imprisonment, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,337.50, ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $2,000, and to serve 3 years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence.

Colette White, 57, of Peever, was sentenced to 3 years of probation, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,160, and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $3,000.

According to court documents, from approximately June 2010, through March 2013, each of the defendants conspired to embezzle, steal, and knowingly convert to their own use funds from the Big Coulee District of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe, an Indian tribal organization. The Big Coulee District is a political subdivision of the Tribe. The defendants were all elected executive board members or employees of the District at the time.

During the conspiracy, they stole a total of $81,542.50 from the District. German Jr. received $16,960 of the stolen funds, Heminger Jr. received $5337.50 of the stolen funds, and White received $5,160 of the stolen funds. Each defendant used the funds for his or her own purposes.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

The case was brought pursuant to The Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.

For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (605)330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.