TWO WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE TRIBAL
POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SENTENCED FOR
CONSPIRACY TO FALSIFY RECORDS

PHOENIX - Lincoln Perry, 52, former Chief of Police for the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department, and Tim Goode, 54, a former criminal investigator with White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department, were sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Neil V. Wake to serve up to 180 days of home confinement as a condition of a three year term of probation for conspiracy to falsify records with the intent to influence a federal investigation. Both defendants, residents of the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation, were also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

U.S. Attorney Diane J. Humetewa stated that “police officers must have the trust of the people. So when public corruption involving police officers occur in a small community such as this one, it has a devastating negative impact on that community’s trust in law enforcement. My office, along with the FBI, Postal Inspection Service and the BIA and all federal law enforcement agencies are committed to rooting out instances of public corruption wherever it occurs in Arizona.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge John Lewis stated, “Across this country the American people place their trust in those who uphold the laws of the United States. When these laws are violated by corrupt Law Enforcement officials, it cuts at the core of our society. Such investigations require the cooperative efforts exhibited among our agencies today in order to deal with crimes committed by public officials.”

In February 2006, the FBI learned that the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department’s Investigations Unit maintained a bank account to make undercover purchases and pay informants. In April 2006, the bank that maintained the Investigations Unit’s bank account received a federal Grand Jury subpoena requesting financial records relating to that account. The FBI reviewed the bank account records for two months and uncovered multiple withdrawals from various casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada and in Scottsdale, Camp Verde, San Carlos, and Pinetop, Ariz.

As a result of this information, a second Grand Jury subpoena was issued to the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department seeking all records pertaining to the Investigations Unit’s bank account from January 2001 through April 2006. From January 1, 2001 through August 15, 2006, Perry and Goode were the only known signatories on the bank account. From April to October 2006 Perry and Goode conspired to knowingly falsify records and documents with the intent to influence the FBI and BIA investigations.

“Public servants are held to a higher standard and must not erode the public’s trust,” stated Pete Zegarac, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to have worked with our law enforcement partners to bring these public officials to justice.”

“This joint investigation has demonstrated that corruption will not be tolerated in Indian Country,” said Warren Youngman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

As a result of their felony convictions, Perry and Goode will generally be unable to seek further employment as law enforcement officers and will be prohibited from owning or carrying firearms.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution was handled by Frederick A. Battista and Gary M. Restaino, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER: CR-06-959-PCT-NVW
RELEASE NUMBER: 2008-007(Perry&Goode)