A New Iberia woman pleaded guilty on Thursday to stealing from a Chitimacha tribal business.
Rebecca Bacas (40) of New Iberia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to one count of theft from an Indian tribal organization. According to the guilty plea, Bacas conducted a scheme from December 30, 2011 to January 12, 2012 to steal $1,630.50 from the Chitimacha Trading Post in Charenton, La., by cashing what appeared to be three payroll checks that turned out to be worthless.
Bacas faces up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date was not set.
Bacas faces up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date was not set.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes all major crimes and misdemeanor cases arising in Indian Country that are within the jurisdiction of this office. The FBI and the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation.
REALLY, FBI? REALLY?
Do we have to DRAW you a MAP? SPELL IT OUT?
b b f !;! gfnn;!;;)) ffn n Pechanga's tribal attorney JOHN MACARRO used corporate credit card to steal $30,000 or more...the SECOND time.
Chukchansi has $50 MILLION MISSING!
Former Pechanga tribal Chair Jennie Miranda stole SLOT Machines and sold them to MEXICO. Did she pay taxes?
Tribal members use PO BOXES to avoid paying state taxes on HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of Dollars...EACH. That's 20 times what Chitimacha lost....EACH
PALA is out of control, spending that's not authorized
San Pasqual got 18 police units to "guard" them during a protest, falsely proclaiming threat of violence. Not to mention WHITE PEOPLE masquerading as Natives.
Hahaha , falling on the ground laughing ......(jajaja) for spanish speakers.
ReplyDeleteIt does make you wonder about the, Major crimes act?
John Macarro Marks brother might be the head of the tribal legal dept but he doesn't have a licence to practice law in California because he failed his bar exam. Jennie and the others were disenfranchised from the tribe but John resigned and promised to pay back the money. I'm shore Jennie and the others would have promised to pay back the money and not be disenfranchised but they are not Marks brother.
ReplyDeleteThe FBI is a joke when it comes to Indian Country, it is because the tribes pay into their accounts and they think that they will lose the money if they go after the big dogs. It is no longer about justice and truth, it is about who can give them the bigger amount to turn a blind eye to the cruelty and crimes going on among many Casino Tribes. The only true justice is God, they will all have to pay for their crimes in some way one day.
ReplyDeleteSpeachless! Just speachless!!! Keep exposing OPB!
ReplyDeleteNobody on here understands how federal Indian Law works or Public Law 280 or the Major Crimes Act or State Law...lol.
ReplyDeleteplease tell us your greatness?
ReplyDeleteLouisiana is not a PL 280 state, therefore the FBI has jurisdiction to prosecute crimes in Indian Country alongside the Tribe, but only the FBI can prosecute the Major Crimes in the Major Crime Acts (Murder, Manslaughter, Rape, Assault with intent to commit murder, Arson, Burglary, and Larceny). Everything else is prosecuted by the tribe and/or state depending on the race of the perpetrator, the race of the victim, and if the land the crime was committed upon is defined as Trust, Fee simple, within the boundaries of the reservation, part of the reservation, and/or understood to be Indian Country. In California, since it is a PL 280 state, none of the above apply. The State has criminal jurisdiction of all crimes, and concurrent/shared jurisdiction with Tribes who have tribal courts for civil crimes, and those cases also depend on who the victim and perpetrator is and where the crime occured. The FBI only gets involved when federal laws are being violated, and only when prosecution is a sure thing. Was that good enough?
ReplyDeleteProsecution should be a sure thing in many cases in California Indian Country, there is major fraud and corruption against us and the federal government, the FBI just chooses to say they do not have enough to prosecute, but maybe it is because those same leaders donate to FBI retirement funds. It is not that we do not understand the laws, we do, it is that we are hoping that the FBI realizes that they could still receive those same funds from good leaders, not just the evil ones. We know the laws, we know because we are constantly fighting them, we just look for any hope at all, even a very small glimpse of hope is better than all of the negativity we face on a daily basis from all sides.
ReplyDelete12/11/14
ReplyDeleteAt the 14th National Indian Nations Conference, which convened today on the reservation of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California, FBI Director James Comey pledged the Bureau’s “unshakeable” commitment to tribal nations.
The Bureau has unique and important responsibilities in Indian Country, Comey told more than 1,000 conference attendees. Investigating crimes and assisting victims there, he said, “will be a priority of the FBI under my stewardship.”
Director Comey at Indian Nations Conference
Understanding Victims
A major theme of the 14th National Indian Nations Conference is “justice for victims of crime.”
Speaking to the mostly Native American attendees—many of whom were victims of crime—Director James Comey explained, “I know how crime victims feel, because I’ve lived through that experience myself.”
When he was a high school senior in New Jersey nearly four decades ago, Comey was home alone with his younger brother one night when an armed man kicked in the front door and held them captive. “It was a horrific experience for anybody,” Comey said, “but especially for a young person to be threatened with a gun, and to believe this man was going to execute me and my brother.”
As a result of that experience, he said, “It gave me a sense of what victims feel. Even the notion that no one was physically harmed doesn’t mean no one was harmed—because I thought about that guy every single night for five years.” That experience, he added, “made me a better person. I know it made me a better prosecutor and investigator.”
The Indian Nations conference, sponsored by the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and coordinated by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, brings together Native Americans and a range of community and government agencies and service providers to share knowledge and develop programs to help those impacted by violence on tribal lands.
Comey noted that his interest in the FBI’s Indian Country work is driven by his responsibilities as Director, but also by something more—his family. Last summer, his two youngest daughters went on a mission trip to a reservation and came home, he said, “with their eyes wide open about the challenges on the reservation. They said, ‘Dad, you’ve got to do something, you’ve got to do more.’”
Sorry that he had to experience such a scary situation and at a young age. Sounds like he might be the breath of fresh air that Indian Country needs. Lets hope so.
ReplyDeleteSo what you are saying "August 18, 2015 at 10:37 PM" is that tribe are exempt from prosecution if they are Indians from that tribe who commit crimes on their reservation? That does not make sense. I do not know that much about the law, but I do know that criminal intent or "Mens Rea. As an element of criminal responsibility, a guilty mind; a guilty or wrongful purpose; a criminal intent" can be proven in most all cases where Jenny M. or Johnny M. are concerned. The Pechanga tribal council made a deal with the feds to hush this all up. Does anyone remember when the report was given and that any member could read it, but not take any notes or copies of the report. I understand that they had to sign a disclaimer stating they would not divulge any of the content in part or whole. A guilty person or tribe does not have to hide behind such secrecy.
ReplyDeleteIll tell you what, San Pasqual better have more than 18 police units to guard us for the next meeting because they will not be able to stop 200 of us taking over the meeting. We will not stop! We are taking over our reservation. We will not stop! Allen Lawson beware, we are coming and you cant stop us. There are no trespassing laws on San Pasqaul. Try to violate our rights! We will not stop!
ReplyDeleteWhite Buffalo
ReplyDeleteThe prosecution of tribal members in Indian Country is regulated by jurisdictional matters, the types of crimes, who the perpetrator and victim is, and where the crime takes place. Also thrown into the mix are Public Law 280 states such as California. Since we live in California, I will discuss California. The State of California has jurisdiction of Indian Country when it comes to all criminal acts, and concurrent jurisdiction when it comes to civil lawsuits, which they share with tribes. Tribes who have tribal court systems are allowed to hold their own civil procedures, and can request to hold criminal procedures as well, but that decision is up to the State. Federal jurisdiction in California only comes into play when federal crimes are committed regardless of race. Everybody in California is is under State and Federal jurisdiction, and if a tribal nation has a tribal court system, tribal jurisdiction if the civil crime occurs on the reservation, regardless of race. Internal tribal issues that deal with governmental function and that can only be remedied through tribal governmental action, fall under tribal jurisdiction regardless if the tribe has a court system or not. It is very confusing. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) highlighted the existing loopholes within Indian Country pertaining to criminal justice and its interaction with the Major Crimes Act, which only effect non PL 280 states, in many ways. For existence, murder and rape committed on an Indian Reservation are two criminal acts whose jurisdiction would fall under Federal law due to the Major Crimes Act. But, the federal government is not capable of handling murder and rape trials on isolated stretches of land all over the country, so most of these crimes do not get prosecuted, add to the fact that Tribes with criminal jurisdiction and tribal courts and jails cannot prosecute non-members their existed a loophole allowing the murder and rape of Indigenous woman in particular that was going unpunished. Your question concerns jurisdictional matters that would exist in non PL280 states, crimes committed by tribal members against other tribal members on a reservation, if they do not violate the MAjor Crimes Act, are only prosecuted by the tribes. In California that is not the reality, if a civil crime is only remedied through tribal governmental action and occurred on the reservation then it is only prosecuted by the tribe (until their is a judgment from the 9th circuit regarding the Pala case) and cannot be heard in State court. If a federal crime occurs on the reservation, then the feds can prosecute, but they hardly do unless they can successfully prosecute. Hope I was able to clear up some confusion and did not confuse anymore. It is complicated.
If the tribe wants to charge someone with trespass they waive their jurisdiction and a federal Judge would handle the case.....( a judge told me)
ReplyDeleteTo August 19, 2015 at 4:19 PM
ReplyDeleteSo how come Jenny and John were not charged? It appears that federal law was broken?
I can't wait to see what happens when Robert and Andrew Smith are arrested for the Mag Light Killing and the missing Joe Scott case. And also Theresa Nieto, for intentional fraud against Tribal Members along with Dion Perez. Everyone should have their video cameras ready to run, because things are just about ready to explode in Pala. "FINALLY".
ReplyDeleteIf in fact the IRS is investigating Pala, they the (IRS) will be able to track all bank records, e-mails, and any and all transactions that were made through electronic devises. There is no erasing electronic records, especially those that done through a bank or a Government Agency.
ReplyDeleteIn the words of Stan Magarr, "it is all legal. The tribe authorized us to take the money. It is all legal." You know what is pathetically sad about what Stan says is that it is true. The tribe surrendered any and all of its power to the EC when it comes to casino revenues. How the money is banked, spent, and invested is all within the power of the EC. that is why it has been so difficult for the FBI and IRS to do anything. Where is the theft? Where is the crime? There isn't any because we made it legal for the EC to steal from us. That is the whole reason Robert Smith walks around with that silly grin of his. It is because he knows that he has made fools out of each and everyone of us. He knows that Howard Dickstein put a super ace card up his sleeve and that he padded it with a get out of jail free card. It is not that the FBI hasn't tried but what can they do when it is obvious that the tribe hasn't tried either. Then that goes back to the question of who really is the tribe. Robert Smith and Robert Smith alone is Pala Band of Mission Indians. Robert can open a bank account, transfer real property, buy anything under his signature as PBMI. He doesn't need tribal approval for any of this. So that makes Robert Smith PBMI. If the tribe was PBMI then why aren't they ones approving via resolutions, loans and other expenditures? Robert doesn't need anyone. He is PBMI.
ReplyDeleteThe tribe has to waive jurisdiction and want to have the Feds charge Jenny and John .
ReplyDeleteNobody wants that or they are afraid of getting kicked out if they charge Jenny.
This is all a bunch of BULLSHIT. Just shoot the Greedy Fuckers and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteNo violence , but funny people will not protest or do sit down's but will make wild comments?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me any way, that on a reservation, if you want to draw attention to someone like the evil ec members, violence always gets everyone's attention. So maybe it is time to take so ec members as hostages and hold them just like the EC hold the life's of the Tribal Members that choose to buck the EC in any manner. Take them and their kids, or grand kid and don't release them until the ec changes and does what is right. Then watch how many law enforcement offical's come knocking at your door. After all aren't we as sovereign as Robert Smith and the Rest of the EC. This is "a give and take world" that we live in isn't it.
ReplyDeleteIt just seems that this is the only way that any one will step up and lend a helping hand.
Seems that maybe this will stop the Murders, the Fraud, cheating by the ec, and finally find out about Joe Scott so his family and friends can have some relief as to what Rober and Andrew Smith did to him. It's time to force the hand of thr EC and RS.
Really?
ReplyDeleteSay it out loud... "Take someone as hostages" So KIDNAPPING is the answer?
Maybe Pala just got rid of the morons....
Why not? Isn't the EC holding the Tribal Members as hostages and demands certain things form the Members, So what is the difference?
ReplyDeleteSo it's ok for the EC to rape, murder, steal from it's members. And speaking of morons, why are you so called morons allowing this to take place under your watch full eyes. You do know that you or your family members could be the next victims, because no one is safe right know the way things are.
What a bozo....
ReplyDeleteYa, your are going to think bozo when they do something to your family or friends, and then we will see who is the bozo here.
ReplyDelete