Published: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Stillaguamish Tribe says it’s not focus of federal probe
The Stillaguamish Tribe says it’s cooperating as a witness in a federal grand jury investigation.
ARLINGTON — A lead attorney for the Stillaguamish Tribe said Wednesday that tribal leaders have spent the past year searching records and conducting interviews in response to two federal grand jury subpoenas.
Both subpoenas were served on the tribe after members of the Goodridge family, who once led the tribe, pleaded guilty to making more than $55 million by selling untaxed, smuggled cigarettes at the Blue Stilly Smoke Shop on tribal land.
“There’s never been any question that we’ve had two subpoenas,” Steven Ungar, an attorney hired by the tribe, said Wednesday. “But we’re not the focus. The Blue Stilly Smoke Shop and Native American Ventures is the focus. We continue to fully cooperate with the federal investigation.”
Information about the subpoenas, which the federal government considers confidential, popped up on a blog written by Darcy Dreger, who, until early this year, was the tribe’s deputy executive director. The blog also discusses ongoing squabbles within the tribal government.
Dreger did not respond to requests for an interview.
Included on Dreger’s blog are several e-mails that were part of a conversation she had with Ungar.
Ungar confirmed on Wednesday that he wrote the e-mails that wound up on Dreger’s blog.
In one e-mail, Ungar cautioned Dreger to respect confidentiality that surrounds grand jury activities.
“We trust that you are aware of their contents,” Ungar wrote in a Sept. 1 e-mail about the subpoenas. “We trust that you are also aware that the federal officials conducting the grand jury investigation have requested confidentiality.”
Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Seattle, said she could not discuss any federal grand jury investigations.
“The operations of the grand jury are completely confidential,” she said.
Eddie Goodridge Jr. was the tribe’s executive director, and Dreger’s boss, while he broke state and federal laws by selling untaxed cigarettes at the Blue Stilly. His father, longtime tribal leader Ed Goodridge Sr.; his mother, Linda Goodridge; and cousin, Sara Schroedl, ran the Blue Stilly as a private family business on Stillaguamish tribal land. They all pleaded guilty late last year to federal criminal charges, and both Goodridge men and Schroedl are in federal prison. Linda Goodridge, who is not a tribal member, was sentenced to home detention.
The Blue Stilly Smoke Shop was shut down and replaced by another tobacco market owned and operated by the tribe, and the Goodridges are no longer part of the tribal government.
Federal investigators asked the tribe’s new board to cooperate with their investigation after the Goodridges stepped down and pleaded guilty. The effort sought to unravel issues related to the Goodridges and their crimes, Ungar said. The tribe also began its own internal investigation around the same time, he said.
In one e-mail to Dreger, Ungar wrote that both subpoenas were served on the tribe while Dreger was serving as acting executive director, a job she held early this year. Dreger assumed that post after Goodridge Jr. pleaded guilty to federal charges in November 2008.
The first subpoena focused on the Blue Stilly, Ungar said Wednesday. The second focused on Dave Nelson and one of his business partners, the lawyer said.
Nelson worked under Goodridge Jr. as the tribe’s real estate agent for about six years. During that time, Nelson brokered land deals for the tribe and the Goodridge family.
“Sure, I was investigated,” Nelson said on Wednesday. “Hundreds of people were. But I was never charged with anything because I never did anything wrong.”
The Goodridges and Schroedl are the only Stillaguamish tribal members who have been charged with crimes in connection with the Blue Stilly Smoke Shop.
In August, three people including a Seneca Nation tribal member from New York, were charged with supplying smuggled, untaxed cigarettes to the Blue Stilly. Four more people were charged with the same crimes early this month.
Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422, kkapralos@heraldnet.com.
Both subpoenas were served on the tribe after members of the Goodridge family, who once led the tribe, pleaded guilty to making more than $55 million by selling untaxed, smuggled cigarettes at the Blue Stilly Smoke Shop on tribal land.
“There’s never been any question that we’ve had two subpoenas,” Steven Ungar, an attorney hired by the tribe, said Wednesday. “But we’re not the focus. The Blue Stilly Smoke Shop and Native American Ventures is the focus. We continue to fully cooperate with the federal investigation.”
Information about the subpoenas, which the federal government considers confidential, popped up on a blog written by Darcy Dreger, who, until early this year, was the tribe’s deputy executive director. The blog also discusses ongoing squabbles within the tribal government.
Dreger did not respond to requests for an interview.
Included on Dreger’s blog are several e-mails that were part of a conversation she had with Ungar.
Ungar confirmed on Wednesday that he wrote the e-mails that wound up on Dreger’s blog.
In one e-mail, Ungar cautioned Dreger to respect confidentiality that surrounds grand jury activities.
“We trust that you are aware of their contents,” Ungar wrote in a Sept. 1 e-mail about the subpoenas. “We trust that you are also aware that the federal officials conducting the grand jury investigation have requested confidentiality.”
Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Seattle, said she could not discuss any federal grand jury investigations.
“The operations of the grand jury are completely confidential,” she said.
Eddie Goodridge Jr. was the tribe’s executive director, and Dreger’s boss, while he broke state and federal laws by selling untaxed cigarettes at the Blue Stilly. His father, longtime tribal leader Ed Goodridge Sr.; his mother, Linda Goodridge; and cousin, Sara Schroedl, ran the Blue Stilly as a private family business on Stillaguamish tribal land. They all pleaded guilty late last year to federal criminal charges, and both Goodridge men and Schroedl are in federal prison. Linda Goodridge, who is not a tribal member, was sentenced to home detention.
The Blue Stilly Smoke Shop was shut down and replaced by another tobacco market owned and operated by the tribe, and the Goodridges are no longer part of the tribal government.
Federal investigators asked the tribe’s new board to cooperate with their investigation after the Goodridges stepped down and pleaded guilty. The effort sought to unravel issues related to the Goodridges and their crimes, Ungar said. The tribe also began its own internal investigation around the same time, he said.
In one e-mail to Dreger, Ungar wrote that both subpoenas were served on the tribe while Dreger was serving as acting executive director, a job she held early this year. Dreger assumed that post after Goodridge Jr. pleaded guilty to federal charges in November 2008.
The first subpoena focused on the Blue Stilly, Ungar said Wednesday. The second focused on Dave Nelson and one of his business partners, the lawyer said.
Nelson worked under Goodridge Jr. as the tribe’s real estate agent for about six years. During that time, Nelson brokered land deals for the tribe and the Goodridge family.
“Sure, I was investigated,” Nelson said on Wednesday. “Hundreds of people were. But I was never charged with anything because I never did anything wrong.”
The Goodridges and Schroedl are the only Stillaguamish tribal members who have been charged with crimes in connection with the Blue Stilly Smoke Shop.
In August, three people including a Seneca Nation tribal member from New York, were charged with supplying smuggled, untaxed cigarettes to the Blue Stilly. Four more people were charged with the same crimes early this month.
Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422, kkapralos@heraldnet.com.
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