Post by blackcrowheart on Apr 20, 2006 23:05:05 GMT -5
Charges against tribe leader dropped
Keith Reid
Record Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006
www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/NEWS01/6041\
80340/1001
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STOCKTON - The self-proclaimed leader of a Nevada American Indian tribe
was exonerated of fraud and forgery charges Monday when prosecutors
dropped the case against him in San Joaquin County Superior Court.
William Bills, 46, a Stockton native, was charged in September with
felony identification theft and attempted grand theft after he tried to
access the Nevada Winnemucca Indian colony's $30,000 bank account at a
Lodi branch of Wells Fargo Bank. Bills claims to be the tribe's chief.
Employees of the bank were suspicious of Bills, who may also be known by
the last name Bill, and called the tribe to verify he had access to the
account. The tribe said he did not.
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The bank set up a sting with Lodi Police and arrested Bills when he
showed up for an appointment at the bank the following week.
Public defender Peter Fox said Monday the motion to dismiss the case
came because Bills did not try to withdraw money from the tribe's
account, but was inquiring about changing the signatories on the account
because he believed tribal members in control of the money were spending
it frivolously.
"He did not misidentify himself. He did not attempt to take money," Fox
said.
"He tried to change the signatories on the account, and no, you can't do
that. But he was only inquiring, not demanding. I would say it's
impossible to prove there was a crime committed."
Fox said the Winnemucca colony's members have split into two factions
and are entangled in legal battles over leadership and tribal business.
While Bills claims to be chief of the tribe, and is documented as the
tribe's last elected leader dating back to 2000, the Department of the
Interior will not recognize a chief of the tribe until a new election is
held, Fox said. There are reportedly fewer than 50 living members of the
tribe scattered across the West.
Bills, who has been free on bail, was pleased to be exonerated of the
forgery and fraud charges.
"This clears my name. Justice is done. That's it," he said walking away
from Department 22 of San Joaquin Superior Court.
Previously, Bills proposed building an Indian casino representing the
Nevada Shoshone tribe in Flag City, but his plan did not win support
when he presented it to the Lodi City Council last year.
Keith Reid
Record Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006
www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/NEWS01/6041\
80340/1001
<http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/NEWS01/604\
180340/1001>
STOCKTON - The self-proclaimed leader of a Nevada American Indian tribe
was exonerated of fraud and forgery charges Monday when prosecutors
dropped the case against him in San Joaquin County Superior Court.
William Bills, 46, a Stockton native, was charged in September with
felony identification theft and attempted grand theft after he tried to
access the Nevada Winnemucca Indian colony's $30,000 bank account at a
Lodi branch of Wells Fargo Bank. Bills claims to be the tribe's chief.
Employees of the bank were suspicious of Bills, who may also be known by
the last name Bill, and called the tribe to verify he had access to the
account. The tribe said he did not.
<http://online.recordnet.com/adsys/adclick.php?bannerid=112&zoneid=11&so\
urce=news_articles&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fcabraljeep.com%2F>
[http://online.recordnet.com/adsys/adlog.php?bannerid=112&clientid=252&z\
oneid=11&source=news_articles&block=0&capping=0&cb=eae8d9595b0a5431b6097\
46f35cfef3a]
The bank set up a sting with Lodi Police and arrested Bills when he
showed up for an appointment at the bank the following week.
Public defender Peter Fox said Monday the motion to dismiss the case
came because Bills did not try to withdraw money from the tribe's
account, but was inquiring about changing the signatories on the account
because he believed tribal members in control of the money were spending
it frivolously.
"He did not misidentify himself. He did not attempt to take money," Fox
said.
"He tried to change the signatories on the account, and no, you can't do
that. But he was only inquiring, not demanding. I would say it's
impossible to prove there was a crime committed."
Fox said the Winnemucca colony's members have split into two factions
and are entangled in legal battles over leadership and tribal business.
While Bills claims to be chief of the tribe, and is documented as the
tribe's last elected leader dating back to 2000, the Department of the
Interior will not recognize a chief of the tribe until a new election is
held, Fox said. There are reportedly fewer than 50 living members of the
tribe scattered across the West.
Bills, who has been free on bail, was pleased to be exonerated of the
forgery and fraud charges.
"This clears my name. Justice is done. That's it," he said walking away
from Department 22 of San Joaquin Superior Court.
Previously, Bills proposed building an Indian casino representing the
Nevada Shoshone tribe in Flag City, but his plan did not win support
when he presented it to the Lodi City Council last year.