LAME DEER, Mont. – Northern Cheyenne records show that the Tribe retained the GableGotwals law firm in 2025 as special prosecutors to investigate alleged criminal conduct and, where appropriate, prosecute matters.
The engagement letter and later public statements about referrals are important records. They are not the same thing as proof that the FBI opened an investigation, that federal charges were filed, or that any person is guilty of a crime.
What the engagement letter establishes
An October 22, 2025 engagement letter states that the Northern Cheyenne Tribe engaged GableGotwals effective October 1, 2025. Phase 1 carried a $350,000 flat fee covering investigative review, charging decisions, plea work, engagement with law-enforcement or regulatory bodies, victim communication, and Tribal Court work up to pretrial and trial.
The letter identifies discounted Phase 2 hourly rates of $645 for R. Trent Shores, $550 for Ryan Heatherman, and $450 each for Hillary Stuart and Rick M. Cella. It also states that the initial $350,000 was to be deposited into the firm’s Oklahoma trust account and that an additional retainer of up to $100,000 could be requested if the matter moved into Phase 2 or billed hours exceeded 700.
Those figures establish the contract terms. They do not, by themselves, establish how much money was ultimately paid.
Referral is not a criminal finding
A later GableGotwals report states that certain matters were referred for prosecution and FBI investigation. A referral is a request or transmission for review. It is not an indictment, a criminal charge, or a finding of guilt.
When Truth in Focus sought clarification, FBI representative Sandra Barker responded: “Thanks for reaching out but the FBI does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations.”
That response neither confirms an FBI investigation nor establishes that no investigation exists.
What records are still needed
Truth in Focus is seeking the underlying referral correspondence, any available case or reference information, oversight communications, prosecutor invoices, payment vouchers, checks or electronic-transfer records, and any public disposition showing what happened after the referrals.
Until those records are available, the responsible distinction remains simple: referral, investigation, charge, and guilt are four different things.
By Steven Bullcoming Haworth