Eagletown Resident Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement and Theft from Indian Tribal Organization
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 25, 2009 |
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA—Sheldon J. Sperling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that AHDOHLOWAH ESTHER TONIHKA, age 63, of Eagletown, Oklahoma, pled guilty to Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1163.
“Charges arose from an investigation by the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” stated U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling. “TONIHKA was indicted in June, 2009.”
“From about October 10, 2008 until January 2, 2009, TONIHKA, an employee of the Choctaw Nation Travel Plaza, embezzled over $26,000.00 by inflating the dollar amounts on gas receipts,” noted U.S. Attorney Sperling.
“The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the defendant’s guilty plea and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion. The defendant remains on bond pending sentencing.”
“The statutory range of punishment is up to five years’ imprisonment and/or up to $250,000.00 in fines,” stated U.S. Attorney Sperling. “A preliminary calculation of the Sentencing Guidelines projects a sentence of probation.”
“Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.”