A Uintah Basin man enjoyed trips to theme parks and vacations with the money he has been convicted of extorting while working as a Compliance Supervisor for the Energy and Minerals Department of the Ute Tribe. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah issued a press release on Monday announcing that 47-year-old Leallen Blackhair was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and $18,000 dollars in restitution after he admitted to extorting oil and gas businesses operating on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. According to court documents and statements and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, Blackhair used his coveted position as the Compliance Supervisor for the Energy and Minerals Department of the Ute Tribe to extort $109,925 dollars for his own personal gain over the course of three years. Blackhair’s responsibilities as a compliance supervisor included issuing fines to oil and gas businesses working on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation that violated their access permits and business licenses. He used his position to induce and attempt to induce multiple companies to pay him personally by offering to reduce a fine that would otherwise be assessed against them. In December 2022, Blackhair pleaded guilty to eight counts of extortion and one count of attempted extortion. Ninety-five percent of all revenue for the Ute Tribe comes from the oil and gas industries work on the reservation. As the gatekeeper, Blackhair determined whether businesses could return to work on the reservation. Through extortion, Blackhair more than doubled his $50,000 dollar salary and targeted mostly small, “mom and pop” businesses. Blackhair spent the extorted funds on trips to Disneyland, Legoland, Las Vegas, Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Pictures, airfare, hotels, rental cars, dining and shopping. Blackhair was sentenced on March 22nd before Federal District Court Judge Jill N. Parish. The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency.
