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Former Choctaw Nation employee plans appeal in criminal case

Monday, November 24, 2014

Jason Merida, the former head of construction for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is seen on a 2009 hunting excursion that was financed by a company that defrauded the tribe. Photo from Pueblo of Acoma Big Game Trophy Hunts

A former Choctaw Nation employee who oversaw millions of dollars in casino contracts plans to appeal his guilty conviction.

Jason Merida, the former head of construction for the tribe, was found guilty last Thursday on six out of seven bribery, theft, money laundering and tax fraud charges. He accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts, trips and items of value from companies that performed casino work.

Merida remains free until sentencing, a date for which hasn't been announced. Six other people who pleaded guilty are also waiting to be punished for their role in a case that started when the tribe discovered it had been cheated into purchasing $8.5 million in steel for a casino expansion project.

Federal prosecutors, however, have hinted that the case isn't over. At least one co-conspirator -- believed to be a former employee of an outside company -- has been mentioned in court documents.

"I couldn't comment on that one way or the other," U.S. Attorney Mark Green told KTEN. "I can't confirm or deny that there is an investigation going on."

Merida's case would go to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Get the Story:
Upset Citizens Asking Questions About Choctaw Nation Governance After Trial (KTEN 11/21)
Federal Jury Convicts Former Choctaw Leader Of Theft, Bribery (News on 6 11/21)
Choctaw ex-official guilty of conspiracy, more in scheme that cheated tribal members of $7M (The Muskogee Phoenix 11/22)
Merida free until sentencing (The Durant Democrat 11/23)
Former Choctaw official charged in construction fraud case (The Native American Times 11/23)

Relevant Documents:
Indictment: US v. Jason Brett Merida | Record of FBI Interview | Memorandum of Interview from Department of Treasury | Trial Brief by US Attorney's Office | Jason Merida Brief Accusing Batton and Pyle | US Motion Seeking to Prevent Jason Merida from Bringing up Batton and Pyle | Flintco Statement | Michael Burrage Email: Batton and Pyle Accepted Gifts