SEATTLE – Dale Jones, former head of the Tulalip Tribes Housing Authority, pleaded guilty today to a federal embezzlement charge in connection with a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development probe.
Jones admitted illegally receiving $23,500 in HUD grant money for housing authority travel, meetings and training sessions.
Under tribal law, hes not allowed to collect that money, and his salary as a tribal employee for the same meetings.
Jones entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Seattle this morning. He has agreed to pay the money back.
The Tulalip Tribal board fired Jones and six other housing commissioners in August amid HUD questions about how the authority was spending more than $6 million in federal grant money.
HUD officials on Aug. 9 notified the tribes housing authority that its grant funds had been frozen. It warned the tribe may have to repay millions of dollars if it cant produce records to show that the money has been appropriately spent since 1998.
The action came after repeated efforts by HUD to bring the housing authority into compliance with federal regulations, HUD officials said. HUD issued written warnings in January 2003 and January this year to both the tribe’s housing authority and the previous tribal chairman.
Jones resigned last year during the HUD investigation, in which federal officials questioned a number of issues and expenses. But he was re-elected to the housing authority this year.
His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 4.
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