POPLAR — The Fort Peck Tribes have refiled a felony theft charge against former Wolf Point Volunteer Fire Department Chief Clint Bushman after the original case was dismissed earlier this year due to a clerical error in the charging document.

A new criminal complaint, filed in Fort Peck Tribal Court on July 23, 2026, charges Bushman with one count of felony theft in violation of Title 7 CCOJ 320.

According to the complaint, investigators allege that on or about December 9, 2025, approximately $120,000 was taken from the Wolf Point Volunteer Fire Department account. The complaint states the investigation identified Amazon purchases and withdrawals from the department account that allegedly lacked documentation, authorization, or a documented connection to fire department operations.

The case stems from an investigation initiated after former Wolf Point Mayor and Fire Captain Chris Dschaak reported discovering what he believed were unauthorized transactions while reviewing the department’s bank account. The matter was subsequently investigated by law enforcement.

The refiled complaint follows the dismissal of the original criminal case in June. In that case, Fort Peck Tribal Court ruled that the complaint incorrectly alleged the offense occurred on Dec. 9, 2026—a date that had not yet occurred when the complaint was filed.

Although prosecutors stated they had prepared an amended complaint correcting the error, the court found the amendment had never been properly filed. Because the original complaint remained the only valid charging document before the court, the judge dismissed the case without prejudice and vacated the scheduled jury trial.

A dismissal without prejudice does not prevent prosecutors from filing the charges again. The newly filed complaint corrects the alleged offense date to Dec. 9, 2025, allowing the prosecution to move forward.

The new filing also expands the prosecution’s witness list from three individuals in the original complaint to eleven potential witnesses.

As with all criminal proceedings, the allegations contained in the complaint have not been proven in court. Clint Bushman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.