6 charged in Montana tribal program for kids

GREAT FALLS (AP) — Six people who oversaw a Blackfeet program for troubled youth have been arraigned on charges they embezzled money from the $9.3 million project.

They also are accused of doctoring invoices to embellish the tribal contributions needed to keep the federal money flowing to the now-defunct Po'Ka Project.

The indictments kept under seal until Thursday include former program leaders Francis Onstad and Delyle "Shanny" Augare.

They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong in Great Falls along with Gary Conti, who was the national monitor for the Po'Ka Project; Dorothy Still Smoking, a local evaluator for the project; Katheryn Sherman, the project's former in-kind coordinator; and former administrative assistant Charlotte New Breast.

They face 37 criminal counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and others.

All six pleaded not guilty.