Waubay woman sentenced for embezzling more than $150,000

A Waubay woman has been sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling from the Buffalo Lake District of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe.

Forty-six-year-old Kayline Joy LaBelle was also ordered to pay more than $203,000 restitution She pleaded guilty in September and was sentenced last week in Aberdeen.

According to court documents, between 2018 and 2022, LaBelle and others embezzled more than $150,000 belonging to the Indian Tribal Organization. LaBelle was the elected treasurer of the Buffalo Lake District and stole checks from the organization. LaBelle then cashed those stolen checks at various locations and distributed those stolen checks to her co-defendants.

LaBelle served as the treasurer until she resigned in September 2022.

It’s estimated her conduct resulted in approximately $205,000 in losses to the tribe.

December 19, 2023