Tribe’s ex-leader sentenced to prison, ordered to pay back $794,000 in embezzlement case

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BY TIM WILLERT Staff Writer twillert@opubco.com

A former Tonkowa Tribe president was sentenced Thursday to more than three years in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution for his role in embezzling tribal funds, authorities said.

Anthony E. Street, 48, of Ponca City, pleaded guilty in June to conspiring with two other members of the Oklahoma tribe’s business committee to embezzle more than $500,000 from the general fund by issuing themselves more than 300 checks while in office.

As punishment, Street will spend 41 months in prison, three years on probation and pay $794,000 in restitution under the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron.

In return for his guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining embezzlement counts against Street.