Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A South Jordan attorney accused of stealing eleven-thousand dollars from the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes has pleaded guilty.
Duncan Steadman represented a faction of the Skull Valley community. The faction believed they had ousted leaders in a 2001 election and, with bogus documents drawn up by Steadman, began to access tribal bank accounts.
However, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated months later and found out the leaders had NOT been ousted. Therefore, Steadman's faction had no authority to use tribal funds.
The three would-be tribal leaders have also pleaded guilty to theft from a tribal organization.
If convicted, Steadman faces up to five years in jail. His sentencing hearing is set for December.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
