Little Eagle Man Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement from Standing Rock Tribal Organization

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Little Eagle, South Dakota, man convicted of embezzlement and theft from an Indian tribal organization was sentenced on July 18, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.

Donel Takes The Gun, age 55, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $15,935.93 in restitution to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Takes The Gun was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 7, 2021. He pled guilty on April 21, 2022.

According to court documents, between about October 2017 and March 2020, Takes The Gun embezzled, stole, and converted approximately $16,000 of monies, funds, and credits belonging to the Running Antelope District of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, an Indian Tribal Organization. Takes The Gun, an elected official of the Running Antelope District, used those monies on personal items, expenditures, and gambling.

This case was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

Takes The Gun was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his custody sentence.

This 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 U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; 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 Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.

For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. 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.