Resolution prepared to suspend Tex Hall due to alleged oil field corruption
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James Henrikson and his wife Sarah Creveling with Tex Hall.
The identity of fourth person in the photo has been concealed
since the fourth person is not under investigation. |
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
NEW TOWN, North Dakota -- A resolution has been prepared for the suspension of Chairman Tex Hall of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara, due to an alleged conflict of interest with profits from an oil and gas company. The resolution will be considered by the Business Council during an upcoming session, which is slated for Thursday.
The resolution comes as investigators probe the murder of a business associate of Hall in Washington state, Douglas Carlile, 63, in Spokane, and the disappearance of another business associate in North Dakota, KC Clark. At the same time, investigators say an informant said Hall was also targeted by a hit man.
The controversy surrounds a string of businesses that Tex Hall and business associate James Henrikson were involved with in the oil and gas industry on the Three Affiliated Tribes land, also known as Fort Berthold.
The resolution states that Hall was involved in business with Henrikson and his wife, Sarah Creveling. Among the businesses was Blackstone Oil Field Services, owned by Stephanie Welmaker. The resolution states that Hall allegedly profited from a tribal payment for more than $588,000 for road watering work to Blackstone.
The resolution, if approved by the Business Council, states Hall would be suspended for 30 days during an independent investigation.
Meanwhile, Hall is also the owner of Maheshu Energy which profits from the oil and gas industry on tribal land. Investigators said the murder probe focuses on the alleged theft of millions from the businesses.
Hall pushed for oil and gas industry leasing on tribal land, and even spoke out in favor of fracking during a Congressional committee. The oil and gas industry has caused widespread destruction to the land, air and water, and resulted in an infestation of crime in the communities, according to local community members.
One of Hall's business associates,
Kristopher KC Clarke, 30, has not been seen since Feb. 22, 2012. Family members said KC disappeared after having an argument with Henrikson due to money owed to KC at Blackstone. KC said he would leave the company and take subcontractors with him.
Update Feb. 10, 2014: Henrikson pleads not guilty in weapons case:
http://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/henrikson-pleads-not-guilty-to-weapons-charges/article_3a1e78a4-927c-11e3-b013-001a4bcf887a.html
“The lawlessness, big money and complex business dealings of the North Dakota oil fields likely prompted the shooting death of a South Hill man in his home last month, according to investigators. Spokane police detectives stitched together an intricate web of speculative business deals by Doug Carlile, who solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars each from several investors to get in on the ground floor of a piece of Indian reservation land with the potential to produce billions of dollars worth of crude, according to one speculator. Carlile was found dead of a gunshot wound in his home at 2505 S. Garfield Road the evening of Dec. 15.” –Spokane Spokesman Review, Page 1, Wednesday, January 15, 2014
