DESCENDANTS FILE SUIT TO RECLAIM
TERRITORY
MORTON, Minn. – Over 7,000 descendants
of self-identified “loyal Mdewakanton Indians” filed suit in
Minnesota federal district court on May 20 to reclaim a 12
square-mile portion of land in Redwood, Renville and Sibley counties.
If successful, the Lower Sioux
Community, along with nearly 100 other residents of the area, would
be removed from their homes and possibly required to pay damages to
the plaintiffs for trespass. Denny Prescott, Lower Sioux Community
President said, “these individuals are not a tribe, nor do they
represent the interests or values of the Lower Sioux Community.”
Members of the council said they had
not heard much about the lawsuit until it had been filed and they
read about it in newspapers. “We’re not sure what land they are
specifically talking about,” tribal council member Gary Prescott
said, adding that no map of the area outlined in the lawsuit has been
provided to them.
With land in three counties making up
the description in the lawsuit, many entities and individuals have
been listed as defendants, including the Lower Sioux Community. While
the lawsuit lists the Lower Sioux by name, Denny Prescott said
neither the council nor the community as a whole have officially been
served in the lawsuit. Nonetheless, the council is gathering
information in anticipation of being served with the lawsuit, and
that, Denny Prescott added, is going to mean significant expense for
the community. Once the tribe is served, it has 30 days to respond in
writing to the claims in the lawsuit.
In the 1850s, a treaty signed between
the United States and members of the Mdewakanton tribe in Minnesota
established what is known as the Lower Sioux Community and its
homeland in the Redwood area. Initially, the commitment to the tribe
was for a 10-mile wide strip of land on either side of the Minnesota
River, but over time that land was taken away from them. It was in
1934, as part of the Indian Reorganization Act, when the current
Lower Sioux community reservation, which is made up of just over
1,700 acres, was established.
METHAMPHETAMINE HEADED TO RED LAKE
SEIZED
BEMIDJI, Minn. – Three people were
arrested May 23 en route to Red Lake transporting 43 grams of
methamphetamine from the Twin Cities.
Alex "Sparky"
Dejesus-Zuniga, 18, and Delisha Rae Rodriguez, 25, of Richfield,
Minn., and Joseph Jacob "Jake" Thunder, III, 47, of Redby,
face first-degree conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine charges
after being stopped by local law enforcement on U.S. Highway 71 south
of Bemidji.
Once pulled over, law enforcement
observed several hypodermic needles strewn about the interior of the
vehicle, the complaint said. After a search, Dejesus-Zuniga was found
to be in possession of one bag containing approximately 28.5 grams of
methamphetamine and a separate bag containing 14.5 grams was inside
Dejesus-Zuniga’s backpack. Rodriguez was in possession of several
micro-baggies consistent with packaging meth for street sale,
according to the criminal complaint.
Thunder told law enforcement he picked
up his daughter, Rodriguez, and her friend "Sparky" in the
Twin Cities and that they talked about bringing methamphetamine to
the Red Lake Reservation because it sold for very high prices on the
reservation, according to court documents. Thunder was to receive 1
gram of meth for transporting Rodriguez and Dejesus-Zuniga.
Rodriguez originally told law
enforcement she was not aware of methamphetamine in the vehicle and
that "Sparky" was a friend who may be moving to Red Lake
with her, according to the complaint. Rodriguez later told law
enforcement she knew "Sparky" was in possession of meth and
that she was a methamphetamine user. She also told law enforcement
Dejesus-Zuniga’s name was "Louise Dejesus," the same name
Dejesus-Zuniga gave law enforcement. Dejesus-Zuniga confessed to
owning the backpack but denied knowing there was any methamphetamine
inside.
Dejesus-Zuniga, Thunder and Rodriguez
are charged with first-degree conspiracy to distribute
methamphetamine, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years
and a $1 million fine. Dejesus-Zuniga is also charged with giving a
peace officer a false name with intent to obstruct justice, which
adds another potential 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Thunder, Dejesus-Zuniga and Rodriguez
are currently being held in the Beltrami County Jail. Future court
dates were not immediately available.
SMSC AND CITY SIGN 25 YEAR WATER
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. – The Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux Community and the City of Prior Lake signed a water
purchase agreement on May 28 giving the city access to a new water
supply for the next 25 years. SMSC expanded its North Water Treatment
Facility on McKenna Road to help accommodate the anticipated
long-term needs of the tribe and the city.
The facility expansion, which began
last summer, includes an additional well drawing from the Jordan
Aquifer, a 300,000-gallon in-ground tank to provide increased water
storage and an increase in treatment capacity. Service to the City of
Prior Lake is scheduled to begin in June and continue for 25 years.
Under the terms of the agreement, the city may purchase up to 700
gallons of water per minute.
SMSC’s expansion of the North Water
Treatment Facility will help the tribe and the city keep pace with
their projections for future residential and commercial development.
The tribe’s Land and Natural Resources Department conducts pumping
tests and monitors performance data from the Jordan Aquifer. The new
well involved in this expansion was strategically located to minimize
interference with other wells and maximize the aquifer’s protective
cover, which helps prevent pollution of the aquifer.
The North Water Treatment Facility
opened in 2007 and has met or exceeded all U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and Indian Health Service guidelines since its
opening.
ONEIDA NATION CHAIR OUT AFTER PRIMARY
ONEIDA, Wis. – Chairman Ed Delgado, who
weathered a failed recall attempt by the voters of the tribe, came in
third in a May 10 primary for the nation’s highest office.
The two challengers who beat the
incumbent, by a two-to-one margin each, were Greg Mattson and
Cristina Danforth. According to preliminary tallies, the former won
343 votes while Danforth earned 324 votes; Delgado’s votes totaled
147.
Earlier this year, he won a tribal
court fight to remove him from office. A tribal appeals court ruled
there were insufficient grounds to remove Delgado.
The Business Committee primary was the
second in the tribe’s history. A general election is set for July
12 that includes elections for chairman, vice chair, treasurer,
secretary and council members. This summer’s ballot includes
vacancies for eight other boards, committees and commissions.
Fifteen candidates emerged from the
primary and will run to fill five council seats during the general
election.
10 OGLALA SIOUX TRIBAL CITIZENS
ARRAIGNED ON DRUG CONSPIRACY CHARGES
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Ten people,
ranging in age from 18 to 59, from Porcupine, Pine Ridge and Rapid
City were arraigned on federal drug charges and pleaded not guilty
May 30.
The men and women face charges for
conspiracy and distribution of cocaine and marijuana, according to
U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson. The conspiracy is alleged to have
operated since 2005, according to federal court documents.
The accused are:
Thomas Patrick Brewer, aka Pat Brewer,
48, of Pine Ridge, indicted for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The
maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a
$1 million fine; Gerald LeBeau, AKA Gers LeBeau, 53, of Rapid City,
charged with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to
distribute cocaine and marijuana. If convicted he faces a minimum
penalty of five years, up to 40 years in custody and/or a $5 million
fine; Neil LeBeau, 33, of Porcupine, charged with conspiracy to
distribute cocaine and marijuana;
Pablo LeBeau, 18, of Pine Ridge,
charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The
maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a
$1 million fine; Twila LeBeau, 59, of Pine Ridge, indicted on
conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The maximum penalty
upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $1 million
fine; Susan Schrader, 52, of Pine Ridge, charged with conspiracy to
distribute cocaine, faces of up to 20 years in custody upon
conviction;
Holly Wilson, 53, of Pine Ridge, was
indicted on conspiracy to distribute cocaine and two counts of
distribution of cocaine. If convicted, she could be sentenced to 20
years in custody and/or a $1 million fine; Marie Zephier, 28, of Pine
Ridge, is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and
marijuana; maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in
custody and/or a $1 million fine; Whitney Zephier, 26, of Pine Ridge,
charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The
maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a
$1 million fine.
The investigation is being conducted
by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office
of Justice Services, the South Dakota Division of Criminal
Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.
