Dupree Man Pleads Guilty to Theft from Indian Organization

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Colt Veit, age 28, of Dupree, appeared before United States District Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 9, 2011, and pled guilty to an information that charged him with theft from an Indian tribal organization. The maximum penalty upon conviction is one year in custody, a $100,000 fine, or both; one year of supervised release; and a $25 special assessment.

The charge relates to Colt Veit and others falsely conspiring to obtain grazing privileges from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to pasture non-Indian owned cattle on tribally owned grazing range units by falsely claiming that the Veit family owned the cattle and livestock as Cheyenne River Sioux tribal members. This scheme allowed the co-conspirators to avoid paying the $6 per head, per month, Cheyenne River Sioux fee and thereby defrauding the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikal Hanson.

The defendant was released on bond pending sentencing.