Former Public Utilities Employee Sentenced for Theft

BISMARCK, ND—Acting United States Attorney Lynn Jordheim announced that on August 16, 2010, Nancy Laducer, 45, of Dunseith, North Dakota, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland for an offense of theft from an Indian tribal organization. Nancy Laducer pleaded guilty to the offense on May 4, 2010.

Judge Hovland sentenced Laducer to two years of probation, including 10 months of home detention with electronic monitoring, $35,000 restitution, and $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Laducer was employed with the Belcourt Public Utilities Commission (BPUC), an entity of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. As the secretary and bookkeeper, Laducer was responsible for the finances for BPUC. When management officials became suspicious about missing money, a forensic audit was conducted, which revealed a shortage of deposits totaling $244,618.85. Laducer admitted to allowing other employees to write personal checks and take money from BPUC, with the intent to pay the money back before the checks were deposited. Eventually, Laducer stopped depositing the checks and the money was never paid back. Laducer also admitted that she wrote personal checks to BPUC, received money, and then never deposited her checks in a BPUC account and never paid back the money. Laducer was employed with BPUC for 23 years before her termination.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Minot Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell prosecuted the case.