SPOKANE, Wash. – The Spokane Tribe of Indians is offering praise to the law enforcement community and prosecutors for bringing a former assistant director with the Spokane Tribe to justice.
In a statement, the Tribe said Tawhnee Colvin was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison following his conviction on 25 counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement and theft from a tribal organization.
Colvin was also sentenced to five years of probation and must pay restitution of more than $100,000 to the Spokane Tribe.
As the assistant director for the Spokane Tribe Division of Children and Family Services, Colvin had access to funds meant for foster children. A jury found that she made over 50 fraudulent transfers from the organization’s account to her personal account, totaling more than $50,000.
Colvin was originally charged in November 2024 and was employed by the Spokane Tribe from September 2019 to October 2023.
Statement from the Spokane Tribe of Indians:
Judge Rebecca Pennell of the Federal Court in the Eastern District of Washington sentenced Tawhnee Colvin, former employee of the Spokane Tribe, to one year and one day in federal prison for her conviction by a jury on twenty-five counts of Bank Fraud and one count of Embezzlement and Theft from a Tribal Organization. The Court also imposed five years of probation and restitution of over $100,000.00 to the Spokane Tribe. The Spokane Tribe thanks the men and women of our law enforcement community for their diligence and hard work in prosecuting this case in the pursuit of justice.
