Donald “Louie” Clayborn, the former executive director of the Helena Indian Alliance, pleaded guilty Wednesday 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 allegedly came from false travel expenses.

As with other nonprofit groups that receive federal funding, their books are audited on a regular basis. In early 2007, the Alliance’s board of directors was given a draft audit of 2005, which found various problems with their finances.

Clayborn allegedly would tell co-workers or the board that he needed extra money for work-related travel expenses. He wasn’t actually making any trips, yet still obtained cash advances and reimbursements for official

travel.

Clayborn is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9.