10-25-12
A member of the Ho-Chunk tribe has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, for taking over three-million dollars in a bribery scheme.
Federal Judge William Conley also told 61-year-old Timothy Whiteagle of Black River Falls to spend three years under supervision when he gets out – and to pay almost 163-thousand dollars to the I-R-S. His attorney said the sentence was too harsh, and the government should have let the tribe handle the case. A jury in Madison convicted Whiteagle almost three months ago for bribery and tax violations. Prosecutors said Whiteagle was a consultant for businesses that provided A-T-M and check-cashing services at Ho-Chunk casinos – and for a business that wanted to provide housing and mortgages to tribal members. Officials said Whiteagle and others gave former Ho-Chunk legislator Clarence Pettibone cash and numerous gifts, in exchange for his votes on tribal contracts from 2002-through-’09. In July, Pettibone was sentenced to five years in prison in July for his role in the scheme.
Wheeker News
