Michael Thomas is being held at the FMC Devens in Massachusetts. Photo from Bureau of Prisons
The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from Michael Thomas, a former chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut. In July 2013, a federal jury found Thomas guilty of one count of theft from an Indian tribal organization and two counts of theft concerning an Indian tribal government receiving federal funds. Prosecutors said he used a tribal credit card to make $100,000 in unauthorized purchases. But Thomas said the jury didn't get to hear the whole story. His attorney argued that the trial judge failed to allow the admission of evidence that showed he typically reimbursed the tribe for personal spending on the credit card. Thomas is serving an 18-month sentence in a federal facility in Massachusetts, according to the Bureau of Prisons. He is due to be released in May 2015. Get the Story:
Panel hears appeal of Michael Thomas' embezzlement conviction (The New London Day 10/22)
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