Man pleads guilty to theft

A former Box Elder man has pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from the Rocky Boy Health Board by illegally accessing the organization's bank account while he was employed there.

Randall Keith Dixon, 53, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Great Falls to a felony charge of theft from a tribal organization.

According to the offer of proof filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Dixon was formerly employed as a physician's assistant at the Rocky Boy Clinic. While he was employed there, he stole $4,000 from the Health Board by accessing its bank account and twice tried unsuccessfully to steal more money, according to the document.

Last Aug. 19, Dixon called U.S. Bank in Havre and requested that $4,000 be transferred from the Health Board's bank account to his personal account, the document said. The bank employee did not verify whether Dixon was authorized to access the account, and approved the transfer, according to the offer of proof.

On Aug. 25, Dixon called the bank again and requested that $9,300 be transferred from the Health Board's bank account to his own account. Dixon told the bank employee that the Health Board's account was his business account, the document said.

The bank employee told Dixon he was not authorized to access the Health Board's bank account and did not transfer the money.

The bank notified law enforcement and Dixon was interviewed by the FBI, according to the offer of proof. During the interview, Dixon said he learned of the Health Board's bank account by opening mail that had been inadvertently delivered to him at the clinic.

Dixon told the FBI agent that he also attempted to gain access to a separate Health Board investment account, but was unable to do so on-line, according to the offer of proof.

Dixon was arraigned on Tuesday and pleaded guilty during a hearing late Wednesday afternoon, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek said today.

Dixon, who is now living out of state, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Dixon worked at the clinic from August of 1997 until last September, the Health Board's personnel office said this morning.