Defendants Prosecuted as Part of The Guardians Project, a
Federal Law Enforcement Initiative to Combat Corruption, Fraud, and Abuse in
South Dakota
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort
Yates, North Dakota, woman convicted of Theft by an Employee of an Indian
Gaming Establishment was sentenced on November 18, 2019, by U.S. District Judge
Charles B. Kornmann.
Candace Crow Ghost, age 42, was sentenced to 160 days in
federal prison, followed by 24 months of supervised release, restitution in the
amount of $5,300.83, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund
in the amount of $100.
Crow Ghost was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 12,
2019. She pled guilty on August 27,
2019.
Between December 2016 and March 2017, Crow Ghost was the
marketing director for the Grand River Casino, located on the Standing Rock
Sioux Indian Reservation. Crow Ghost
developed a scheme whereby she would obtain prescription pain pills by
adjusting points on individual players club rewards cards to pay for the drugs
she was receiving. After adjusting the
points, Crow Ghost would prepare vouchers and help the individuals redeem their
illegally obtained points for cash. Crow
Ghost would also comp rooms and meals to the individuals involved in the
scheme. During the course of her
employment, Crow Ghost added 426,000 points to various players’ accounts and
comped over $1,000 in rooms and meals, resulting in a total loss to the Grand
River Casino of $5,300.83.
The case was brought as part of 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: Federal Bureau of
Investigation; 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 Inspector Service; 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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney
Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Crow Ghost was immediately turned over to the custody of the
U.S. Marshals Service.
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