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Colliflower indicted

More not guilty pleas entered in Rocky Boy scandal

The name of another Rocky Boy resident — and some returning names — are in a series of federal embezzlement indictments unsealed Thursday in federal court in Great Falls.

They include:

• Wade Colliflower pleaded not guilty to three counts in each of two indictments unsealed Thursday. Tribal council member John “Chance” Houle pleaded not guilty June 24 to nine charges he faces in the two cases.

• Mark Leischner of Laurel, also appeared in court to face five charges in one of the cases.

Leischner’s attorney was not present, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong entered not guilty pleas pending counsel appearing for Leischner.

Leischner faces other charges and had charges in another case previously dismissed by the government.

• Havre businessman Shad Huston, a former chair of the Havre Public Schools board who is scheduled to change his plea Aug. 14 in a 2013 Rocky Boy embezzlement indictment, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Great Falls to charges in two new indictments.

Huston is charged in one indictment with failing to file required financial reports for some of his businesses when he made transactions involving Rocky Boy agencies and tribal members. In the other, he is charged, along with former council Chair Bruce Sunchild, of conspiracy to embezzle, bribery and theft. Huston pleaded not guilty to four counts in that indictment.

Sunchild — who was arrested and taken to court after he failed to appear at an arraignment that morning — pleaded not guilty June 24 to five counts in that indictment.

In that indictment, Sunchild, Huston and former state Rep. Tony Belcourt are accused of making a $300,000 payment to one of Huston’s businesses, then Huston paying $24,977 to Sunchild to use to buy a Chevrolet Suburban for Tony Belcourt which then was transferred to Sunchild in exchange for his signing off on the $300,000 payment.

Belcourt pleaded guilty to some charges in a series of 2013 indictments and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 14 and is not charged in the new indictment.

In the indictment charging Houle, Colliflower and Leischner — at the time the brother-in-law of former Rocky Boy clinical psychologist James Eastlick Jr., who also has pleaded guilty in other embezzlement cases and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 25 — are accused of paying Leischner and his wife $268,000 from the account of the Chippewa Cree Rodeo Association. In return, Leischners paid kickbacks to Eastlick Jr. and the Belcourts, the indictment alleges.

More than $2 million from sources on and off the reservation was deposited in the rodeo account from June 2009 to July 2012.

Houle was the president and Colliflower the vice president of the rodeo association.

Eastlick Jr.’s father and sister, James Eastlick Sr. and Tammy Leischner, and Belcourt’s wife, Hailey Belcourt, have pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges in other cases, in some cases intertwined with some allegations in the new indictments.

Leischner is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 14, as is Hailey Belcourt. Eastlick Sr. is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 15.

 
 

Reader Comments(11)

jimbo writes:

wildchild.....are you serious? the council is to BLAME for everything. They are paid a great deal of money to watch our money. Where were they when the thieves were looting the tribal coffers? Every one of them should be impeached. They are an embarrassment to themselves as well as the people of Rocky Boy.

forthetruth writes:

What a shame; we hope the judge makes an example of this bunch and sends them all to federal for what they are accused of doing to their own people. Rocky Boy Rodeo was rocking for a few years, now we know why?

thetruth writes:

@wildchild; The Council's main job is to watch OUR money. Wade and the other thieves in a way colluded with the council. Their fiduciary duty is to the people and to allow Wade Colliflower or others to steal is a dereliction of duty. WE MUST REMOVE EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM. They have failed miserably as our leaders--and I use that term loosely.

aimprez59521 writes:

And a lot of you out here in Rocky Boy also thought The radio show that ran for 2 1/2 yrs in Havre was a lot of hot air.Now where are these people who were saying that to me or online,at now? Those of you who did say negative things are no longer in a position to say those things now. It is what it is and what I always said it was. I dont lie. I am a pipe carrier. Yu dont see any of these crooks being that,albeit, they tried to use and hide behind the Creator. It dont work like that people.

wildchild writes:

Its to bad that when anything goes wrong with the tribe the council gets blamed. Wade knew what he was doing. So why blame the council? With what wade did had nothing to do with the council

mistake writes:

Mistakes were made.

frankieh writes:

The arrogance of these people is astounding. Wade always insisted that the rodeo was self sustaining. WHERE WAS THE COUNCIL WHEN THIS WAS GOING ON?

fedup writes:

With the current Government at Rocky Boy felons are treated like war vets and given good jobs, houses, etc. So several are trying to improve their status with the Tribe. Maybe things will change with a new government and chance sitting back in prison. The Business Committee is real pathic and weak, chance and tony should be gone and further punishment coming from the Tribe with the land they hold and other property they bought with stolen Tribal money.

alfredosto writes:

The more you steal the less time you get i bet the all get suspended sentances

Kev writes:

Another?? No way who would have ever thought.... Wonder it will be next month??

Facts writes:

I don't believe he is on the business committee is he?