Leaders of the Ute Tribe of Utah say their members are being harassed by law enforcement on the reservation.

The tribe says authorities in Duchesne and Uintah counties, along with the Utah State Patrol, are overstepping their jurisdiction. The tribe plans to send more than two dozen complaints to the Department of Justice.

"We can't take this lying down anymore," Vice Chairman Ron Wopsock told KSL News. "Our people are being hurt and it's uncalled for."

The tribe also plans to investigate non-Indian business activities on the reservation "to determine whether cause exists for the termination of … leases, business licenses, rights of ways and access permits," KSL News reported. That could affect millions of dollars in oil and gas revenues on the reservation.

Get the Story:
Alleged rights violations spark contention among Ute tribe, county governments (KSL News 2/14)
Uintah Basin oil, gas drilling could be impacted by dispute between counties, Ute Tribe (The Deseret News 2/15)

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