October 2, 2015; Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD) Platte, South Dakota, is a town of 1,250 residents that suffered a tragedy in September when Scott Westerhuis came home from work, killed his wife and four children, set the house on fire, and then committed suicide. 2023 - SD Legislative Research Council LRC Homepage | SD Homepage PINEVILLE, Ky. (AP) A Kentucky coal executive embezzled millions from investors, according to federal authorities. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. You can cancel at any time. A Benton County grand jury indicted Stephanie Churchill, who served as town clerk for Hickory Flat in Benton Count, for not depositing funds collected from water and sewage bills from October 2018 through February 2021. KELO-TV reports 70-year-old Gerald Larson was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to embezzling from his former employer for nearly 15 years. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. They obviously listened and most importantly, they followed the law, Sargent said of the jury, which deliberated for nearly six hours before returning the verdict. DEWITT, Mich. (AP) A Catholic priest is accused of stealing more than $800,000 from three retired priests in the Lansing Diocese. Like many states, South Dakota's shoplifting laws allow for both criminal and civil penalties. (AP) Two former Natchez city employees were arrested Monday after being indicted on embezzlement charges, the Mississippi auditor's office said. A guilty party faces up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. If you've been charged with theft, embezzlement, fraud, shoplifting, or a related offense, contact a local criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. He argued that if jurors didnt convict her for grand theft, they should find her guilty of receiving stolen property for taking the $55,000, which she knew was stolen or probably stolen by Scott Westerhuis. And, if the offender has three or more felony convictions and at least one is for a violent offense, the punishment for the current felony can go up to a life sentence. He was a control freak who marketed himself as a savior but he was a destroyer, Sargent said in his closing argument. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. March 18, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. Highway Superintendent Sentenced for Embezzlement. Kristi Noem set the cap at $500,000 for each of two rounds of funding. Here are the definitions of property and services that can be stolen. He pled guilty on April 21, 2022. Start here to find criminal defense lawyers near you. Im embarrassed and ashamed to the core of my being, he said. The Evergreen State takes the top spot again in the U.S. News Best States ranking on the strength of its tech sector and other industries. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) A judge sentenced former Honduran First Lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo to 14 years in prison Wednesday on corruption charges, the second time Bonilla had been sentenced. Main Office: In a post on Facebook, investigators with the Florence County Sheriff's Office said Tina Sullivan, 50, of Marion, was arrested Tuesday and is being held at the county's detention center. Stephanie Hubers was found not guilty of grand theft, grand theft by deception and alternative receiving stolen property charges. The Indictment alleges that between March and May 2020, Iron Cloud embezzled, stole, and converted more than $1,000 of monies, funds, and credits belonging to Oyate Community Development Corporation of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, an Indian Tribal Organization. Hubers told jurors she didnt know the couple was stealing, testifying: I still dont believe it. Sargent successfully contended that Hubers didnt steal a thing, saying jurors had to clear her because the state didnt prove she had specific intent to steal, defraud or receive property knowing it was stolen. Initially he pleaded not guilty, and then changed the plea to guilty. It's fairly easy to cross the threshold from misdemeanor to felony shoplifting. HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) The former clerk for a north Mississippi town was arrested Tuesday on a charge of embezzlement. SAN DIEGO (AP) One note submitted to the federal judge sentencing a 38-year-old California woman for embezzlement claimed that a biopsy had revealed cancerous cells in her uterus. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Generally, the greater the loss is, the higher the penalty will be. Butler asked for house arrest or electronic monitoring so that Friederich can care for her elderly parents and two sons. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) A South Dakota jury on Friday cleared a woman accused of aiding an embezzlement scheme that exploded into public view after a man killed his family and then himself. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Garbage truck driver forced to dump hot trash on Rapid City street, Meade County Sheriff's Office removes animals from The Charm Farm Refuge, Moving truck crashes into Rapid City apartment building, Rapid City man sentenced for stabbing elderly man in neck, Residual health concerns for residents of East Palestine after train derailment, Garland gets grilled on DOJ's actions on Fentanyl, Life after a siege: Russia pledges reconstruction of Mariupol, Yosemite National Park closed due to deep snow. A conviction for this class 2 felony subjects the offender to up to 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Aggravated grand theft involves stolen property or services with a value of more than $500,000. For her part, Friederich testified she doesnt know why she started or continued stealing money from Tripp. Hearing Impaired TTY Phone: (605) 330-4403. A lock ( Buthe served as the Minnehaha County highway superintendent for seven years before leaving the job in 2020 to become the public works director in Brookings. Cause Of Action: 28 U.S.C. Like many other states, South Dakota classifies its theft offenses according to the value of the property takenand in some circumstances, by the type of property involved. Source: SDC 1939, 13.1236, 13.1305, 13.4001, 13.4003 to 13.4007; SDCL, 3-16-4, 3-16-5, 22-38-1 to 22-38-7; SL 1976, ch 158, 30A-15; SL 1977, ch 189, 61; SL 2005, ch 120, 59. A federal grand jury indicted Rex G. Fought last week on a charge related to tax fraud, The Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Iron Cloud was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 8, 2021. According to court documents, between in or about March and May 2020, Iron Cloud embezzled, stole, and converted approximately $25,000 of monies, funds, and credits belonging to Oyate Community Development Corporation of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, an Indian Tribal Organization. Westerhuis killed his wife and their four children in 2015 before setting their home ablaze and killing himself. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) A former official at Northern New Mexico College has pleaded guilty in an embezzlement scheme she admitted to hatching more than a decade ago but will serve no jail time. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, RCAS board briefly discusses decision to layoff 2 administrators, 14 charts that show how the economy is performing in Rapid City and South Dakota, 14 charts that show jobs, unemployment and workforce data for Rapid City and South Dakota, Residual health concerns for residents of East Palestine after train derailment, Garland gets grilled on DOJ's actions on Fentanyl, Life after a siege: Russia pledges reconstruction of Mariupol, Yosemite National Park closed due to deep snow. SIOUX FALLS | A former employee at Medical X-Ray Center in Sioux Falls has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for embezzling $4.9 million. District of South Dakota Main Office: PO Box 2638 Sioux Falls, SD 57101-2638 . A conviction carries up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $30,000. Have a question about Government Services? U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota, Defendant Prosecuted as Part of The Guardians Project, a Federal Law Enforcement Initiative to Combat Corruption, Fraud, and Abuse in South Dakota, Wakpala Man Charged with Embezzlement and Theft from Indian Tribal Organizations, Former Oglala Sioux Tribe President Indicted for Wire Fraud and Embezzlement, Lower Brule Woman Convicted by Federal Jury for Assaulting a Federal Officer, Oglala Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Kidnapping and Interstate Domestic Violence, Wakpala Man Charged With Embezzlement and Theft From Indian Tribal Organizations. A locked padlock She could be released after serving just one year. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. PO Box 2638 A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Wakpala, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization. Duane Buthe, 41, earlier pleaded guilty to embezzling about $127,000 from the county and the South Dakota Association of County Highway Superintendents. Iron Cloud will report to the U.S. (AP) The former lead cashier for Clarksdale Public Utilities has been arrested on embezzlement charges, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White announced Tuesday. . Rather, the intent focuses on the owner's loss. If the property or services involved has a value of $5,001 to $100,000, it's a class 4 felony. For instance, it's theft to unlawfully connect to another's TV cable line, dine and dash, or accept and keep a misdelivered package without trying to find its owner. She also paid off her own credit cards with $18,814 of the citys money and used city money to pay nearly $6,000 in personal cell phone bills. The funding will support South Dakota communities in upgrading essential water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that protects public health and treasured . The Rev. Tripps long-time finance offer being sentenced today. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Duane Buthe, 41, earlier pleaded guilty to embezzling about $127,000 from the county and the South Dakota Association of County Highway Superintendents. (AP) A South Dakota jury on Friday cleared a woman accused of aiding an embezzlement scheme that exploded into public view after a man killed his family and then himself. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Buthe was indicted by a grand jury on a felony charge of embezzlement . Petty theft in the second degree involves property or services worth $400 or less. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2; Embezzlement of property received in trust. SPRING LAKE, N.C. (AP) The former finance director of a North Carolina town pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $500,000 from the town, federal prosecutors announced. Contact Us Visit Website View Profile . SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A judge on Wednesday found sufficient evidence to order the arrest of the mayor and finance director of one of Puerto Ricos largest cities accused in a multimillion-dollar corruption case. She was not ordered to pay any fines as she is making restitution. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota, Defendant Prosecuted as Part of the Guardians Project, a Federal Law Enforcement Initiative to Combat Corruption, Fraud, and Abuse in South Dakota, Wakpala Man Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement from Standing Rock Tribal Organization, Former Oglala Sioux Tribe President Indicted for Wire Fraud and Embezzlement, Lower Brule Woman Convicted by Federal Jury for Assaulting a Federal Officer, Oglala Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Kidnapping and Interstate Domestic Violence, Wakpala Man Sentenced To Prison For Embezzlement From Standing Rock Tribal Organization. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. To the.gov website for this class 2 felony subjects the offender to up to years... Employer for nearly 15 years in prison and a fine of $ 30,000 Larson sentenced. 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