Suspended Navajo Leader, Son Convicted in Corruption Case

Suspended Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald was convicted Wednesday on 41 counts of bribery and other crimes for taking money and favors from people doing business on the reservation.

The same six-member tribal District Court jury convicted Peter (Rocky) MacDonald Jr., MacDonald’s son and co-defendant, on 23 similar counts.

The elder MacDonald could be sent to prison for as long as 21 1/2 years and be fined up to $21,500. The conviction bars him from holding tribal office for four years. His name is on the Nov. 6 ballot for tribe president, a post that replaced the office of chairman.

The prosecution contended that MacDonald illegally asked for and accepted cash payments, loans, airplane rides and the use of an automobile from businessmen seeking to curry favor. The defense claimed in closing arguments that he received the gifts through friendship and that he neither threatened the business people nor promised them anything in return.

This was the first of three trials that the suspended chairman faces in tribal court. MacDonald’s and his son’s second trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. They face conspiracy charges related to the tribe’s purchase of a ranch for $33.4 million from a company that had paid $26.2 million for the property five minutes earlier.

The third trial, in which MacDonald faces 93 fraud counts related to the tribe’s 1986 primary and general elections, is scheduled to begin Dec. 4. Suspended Vice Chairman Johnny R. Thompson is a co-defendant.