Sexual misconduct case against White Mountain Apache chairman referred to federal prosecutors

For the last six months, an Arizona tribal chairman has been at the center of a federal inquiry by law enforcement agents at the Bureau of Indian Affairs into allegations of sexual misconduct levied by the tribe’s HR director.

And that case is now with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

No charges have been filed against White Mountain Apache chairman Kasey Velasquez, and federal prosecutors from the District of Arizona would not confirm if an indictment will follow the BIA’s Missing and Murdered Unit investigation.

But the chairman remains on paid administrative leave since August — a decision made by 11-member tribal council — a few months after human resources director Wendy Ruiz reported an alleged assault inside his office back in June.

Ruiz claims that Velasquez often hugged and even gave her unwanted neck massages, but the chairman’s new defense attorney, Kathryn Furtado, tells KJZZ: “He is confident that a full and fair investigative process will reveal his innocence.”

Velasquez previously chaired the Arizona Indian Gaming Association, but has since been replaced amid this ordeal. He’s also up for reelection as the White Mountain Apache chairman this year.