3 plead guilty in Crow tribal fraud case

 BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Three of seven defendants charged in a $500,000 fraud
 investigation at the Crow Tribe Historic Preservation Office have pleaded guilty
 to federal charges.
   Tribal officials have said the defendants were suspected of charging companies
 for historic preservation office oversight of their work on the reservation but
 not turning the payments over to the tribe, which also was paying them.
   The U.S. Attorney's Office says 46-year-old Troy Chandler and 33-year-old
Mark James Denny pleaded guilty to theft from an organization that receives federal
 funds. Both were employees of the preservation office. The government is seeking
 about $44,500 in restitution from Chandler and $73,000 from Denny.
   Frederick Paul Deputee Jr. pleaded guilty to theft from an Indian organization.
   AP-WF-01-30-13 1500GMT