Former Spokane Indian Nation Child-Family Services Director to Prison for Embezzlement

Officials with the US Attorney's Office for Eastern WA announced a prison term for a former health official who embezzled a lot of money.

  The former Assistant Health and Human Services Director Convicted on 26 counts

First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano released information Friday (January 23) about a former Official overseeing health and family services for the Spokane Indian Nation who was found guilty following her trial, and has now been sentenced.

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Last September, Tawhnee Willow Colvin, of Davenport, Washington was found guilty on 26 charges of fraudulent money transfers to her own accounts.  Colvin, between 2019 and 2023, was the Assistant Director of the Spokane Tribe of Indians’ Department of Health and Human Services and Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS).

This position included significant financial responsibility for Tribal care programs.

She had access to the Spokane Tribe of Nations bank account that was used to care for needy children who are in temporary custody of the tribe.  She made over 70 fraudulent bank transfers adding up to $50K to her own accounts, and also took another $50K in cash.  She began with small transfers, then they increased in size.

She was fired in October of 2023, but even then Serrano said she continued to make withdrawals.   She will spend one year and a day in prison, and will be required to repay the $100,830 in restitution to the Spokane Tribe.