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TULSA, OK - Four defendants now face federal grand jury indictments after investigations and arrests by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. Three of the defendants are charged with conspiracy and theft from an Indian gaming establishment by employee, and one for embezzlement within Indian Country.

“We are working together with Cherokee businesses to prevent these kinds of crimes in Indian Country,” said David Roberts, director of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.

Kendall Whaler, Jase Mouse and David Russell, all from Watts, are accused of conspiring in the fraudulent use of a plastic electronic gaming card at the Cherokee Casino in West Siloam Springs. Whaler, an employee of the casino, allegedly gave cards with $1000 credit to both Mouse and Russell without requiring them to pay for the credits. Mouse and Russell are accused of using the cards in electronic gaming machines and then taking the remaining credits left on the cards and cashing them in for their personal use.

“Our employees are honest and hardworking, but the temptation is there for people to try to beat the system,” said David Stewart, president and CEO of Cherokee Nation Enterprises (CNE), which runs Cherokee casinos. “We want to send the message to our customers and our employees that if something is amiss, the Cherokee Nation Marshals will find out about it and take action.”

Lisa Dawn Simmons is accused of embezzlement, allegedly embezzling more than $70,000 during her employment at the Two Turtles Smoke Shop in north Tulsa.

All of the cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, David O’Meilia.

With the four new indictments, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service now has 14 defendants facing federal indictments in the Northern and Eastern Judicial districts of the federal judicial system.