Independent Record

Donald ``Louie'' Clayborn, the former executive director of the Helena Indian Alliance, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Missoula to charges that he stole about $40,000 from the nonprofit organization.

Clayborn, 58, was arraigned in July on a charge of ``theft from an organization receiving federal funds.'' He pleaded not guilty at that time.

According to court documents, during the four years from 2003 until 2007 while Clayborn was the head of the Indian Alliance, the organization received more than $3 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Most of the money came from false travel expenses.

Clayborn is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9.

For more details, see Friday's Independent Record.