BOSTON A trial date has been set for the former chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council and a Rhode Island architect facing bribery and extortion charges.
Cedric Cromwell, 55, and David DeQuattro, 54, have a jury trial scheduled together starting at 9 a.m. Sept. 7 in front of Judge Douglas P. Woodlock in U.S. District Court in Boston, according to court records.
Cromwell, of Attleboro, was charged in March with four counts of filing a false tax return on top of other charges of bribery and extortion from November.
He and DeQuattro, the owner of a Providence-based architectural firm that was hired to work on a number of tribal projects, were each indicted by a federal grand jury in November on two counts of accepting or paying bribes as an agent of an Indian tribal government, and one count of conspiring to commit bribery. Cromwell was also indicted then on four counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiring to commit extortion.
New Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chair Promises Integrity
The
Cape Cod Timesreported Tuesday that 28-year-old Brian Weeden won a four-way election last weekend. He got 241 votes, 20 more than his closest competitor.
The federally recognized tribe has struggled financially for years and its plans to build and operate a casino in Taunton are on hold.
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Weeden’s two immediate predecessors were both indicted on financial crime charges while in office. Weeden says he wants to restore integrity and trust.
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Brian Weeden elected new leader of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe capecodtimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from capecodtimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council Member Brian Weeden shows U.S. Sen. Ed Markey the seal on the floor of the rotunda at the tribe s government and community center in Mashpee on Tuesday.
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe says its COVID-19 vaccination program is going well, and the tribe has offered vaccines to teachers in three neighboring communities.
Nelson Andrews Jr., emergency management director for the Mashpee Wampanoag, said any tribal member age 16 and up, their immediate families, and teachers in Mashpee, Barnstable, and Falmouth can receive the vaccine.
“We were able to meet this criteria first and foremost before even the county,” he said.
The National School Boards Association, or NSBA, selected Mashpee Public Schools as the 2021 Magna Award Grand Prize winner for its commitment to equity.
The Magna Awards go to school districts that advance equity and break down barriers for underserved students. Mashpee was honored for its school committeeâs working partnership with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. This partnership has helped create an inclusive district that recognizes and celebrates Wampanoag heritage and culture. It also aims to advance the academic growth and social-emotional well-being of Wampanoag students through culture-based educational principles and practices.
In total, only three school districts received the grand prize, which was broken down by enrollment. Mashpee was the winner for the âunder 5,000â enrollment category.