Shad Huston hit with more charges in Rocky Boy probeprobe

HELENA (AP) — A new criminal indictment charges a businessman with bribing the head of the Chippewa Cree tribe's roads department and overcharging for the work his company did as part of a $10.6 million federal stimulus grant to the tribe.

The federal grand jury indictment unsealed Tuesday charges Shad Huston, of Havre, with bribery, wire fraud, false claims conspiracy and false claims against a federally funded project. Those come on top of charges in three other pending cases accusing Huston of embezzlement conspiracy, bribing other tribal officials and failing to report financial transactions of more than $10,000.

Huston pleaded not guilty to the new charges during a court appearance in Great Falls on Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges as well after withdrawing a guilty plea last year to charges of theft, bribery and failure to file currency transaction reports.

The new indictment alleges that Huston gave tribal roads director Timothy Rosette $5,000 or more in exchange for a contract with Huston's K Bar K Trucking. It says Huston submitted inflated invoices for the work the company did, then used the extra money for his and Rosette's benefit.

The work was part of a $10.6 million in federal stimulus aid the tribe received between 2009 and 2011 for road construction and maintenance, and for the operation of the tribe's roads department.