SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Two defendants and tribal housing officials, Eric Shepherd and Olivia Locke, are facing charges, accused of theft from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (SWO) Tribe.
Shepherd is executive director of the Sisseton Wahpeton Housing Authority, and Locke is the chief financial officer.
The two are facing three counts after allegedly having checks written to themselves from tribal accounts over a period from 2019 to 2024, and using the money for their own purposes.
Shepherd was in federal court on Thursday, and Locke appeared in court Friday. KELOLAND News was in court in Sioux Falls on Friday for Locke’s initial appearance.
During the hearing, the prosecutor read through an 11-page indictment, charging Shepherd and Locke of stealing from the Housing Authority, the Dakota Nation Development Corporation, and the I-29 Motel, all entities of the SWO.
Shepherd is accused of having checks written to himself from the three organizations in the total amount of $160,699.08.
Locke is accused of having checks written to herself from the three organizations in the total amount of $99,768.42.
After the indictment was read on Friday, it was stated that Locke faces up to 5-years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the three counts. If found guilty on all three, she could face up to 15-years if the sentences are to run consecutively.
Locke would also be subject to three-years of supervised release after completing a sentence, if found guilty.
At the hearing, a not guilty plea was entered on Locke’s behalf. She was given a personal recognizance bond, and will be released leading up to her trial with certain conditions in place.
While Locke is not to have contact with victims or her co-defendant according to the terms of her bond, her appointed attorney noted that she is still at the time of the hearing employed by the SWO, and co-defendant Shepherd is her boss.
The judge allowed if Locke and Shepherd continue to be employed in their current roles, Locke and Shepherd may communicate on work-related matters, but are barred from discussing their case.
If Locke loses her employment, she will need to find alternate employment as a condition of her bond.
All future hearings are expected to take place in Aberdeen, according to the judge.
KELOLAND News has reached out to the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Executives for comment.
