Larkin Troy Chandler, Theft from an Organization Receiving Federal Funding, Montana 2013

Billings, MT - In a shocking case of corruption, Larkin Troy Chandler, a 46-year-old resident of Crow Agency, was sentenced to 5 years of probation for his role in stealing from an organization receiving federal funding.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Chandler was sentenced on May 1, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull in Billings. As part of his sentence, Chandler was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and restitution of $44,546.50.

The investigation revealed that Chandler was one of several employees of the Crow Tribal Historic Preservation Office (CTHPO) who diverted over $500,000 in monitoring service payments to their personal use and benefit. The payments were made by companies doing business on the Crow Reservation, which were required to hire CTHPO employees to monitor their projects.

The CTHPO receives grant funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, to provide for direct Tribal involvement and leadership in the protection and enhancement of Crow lands and cultural resources. However, the investigation found that the former Director of the CTHPO, X.X., began advising companies to make direct payments to the tribal monitors assigned to the project, rather than remitting the fee to the Crow Tribe.

Chandler and other employees of the CTHPO, including his family members, were involved in this scheme. They billed the companies directly for performing services for which they were already being compensated by the Tribe. The investigation found that the monitors often did not show up or worked only one to three hours.

The U.S. Attorney's Office commended the team of agents and auditors from the U.S. Attorney's Guardians Project, including the Office of Inspector General for the Department of the Interior, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Crow Tribe, for their work on this case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/larkin-troy-chandler-sentenced-us-district-court