Tiffany LaClaire, Theft From an Indian Tribal Organization, South Dakota 2022

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Tiffany LaClaire Charged with Theft From an Indian Tribal Organization

A Rapid City woman has been indicted for her alleged role in a multi-year scheme to embezzle funds from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, an Indian Tribal Organization.

Tiffany LaClaire, 35, was indicted in July of 2022 for Theft From an Indian Tribal Organization. According to the indictment, LaClaire knowingly stole, embezzled, willfully misapplied, and converted to her use the moneys, funds, and assets belonging to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe between July 17, 2021, and March 23, 2022.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to five years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

LaClaire appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on October 31, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. She was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.

A trial date has been set for January 3, 2023. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.

‘The charge is merely an accusation and LaClaire is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty,’ the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.

Tiffany LaClaire, a Rapid City resident, was charged with Theft From an Indian Tribal Organization, a federal crime. The case is ongoing, and LaClaire’s current status is that she is being held in custody pending trial. The maximum penalty upon conviction for this crime is up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe is an Indian Tribal Organization, and the theft of funds from the tribe is a serious crime. LaClaire is accused of stealing funds from the tribe between July 17, 2021, and March 23, 2022, resulting in a loss of over $1,000.

The FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services are investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting. The trial is set for January 3, 2023, and LaClaire is currently being held in custody pending the outcome of the trial.