The case involving the two suspects accused of embezzling $100,000 from the Cowlitz Indian Tribe remains under investigation, according to the tribe's public safety department.
The suspects, Michael L. Draper, 47, of Cinebar, and Elicia D. Kellam, 42, of Olympia, were both charged with five counts of first-degree theft in Lewis County Superior Court on Jan. 23.
The tribe released an initial statement on Monday.
"Following an internal investigation conducted by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s Human Resources Department, the Tribe identified serious discrepancies involving a former employee and immediately referred the matter to law enforcement,” said Chris Olsen, interim chief of the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Public Safety Department.
The Chronicle previously reported that Draper was a former employee of the tribe and had been placed on administrative leave on Jan. 6.
Olsen confirmed he was no longer under employment.
“The Cowlitz Indian Tribe takes any misuse of Tribal resources extremely seriously,” Olsen said. “We will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and will support all appropriate efforts to pursue justice. Because this is an ongoing investigation, we will not be providing further comment at this time."
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, Draper and Kellam were living on tribal property in Lewis County when the alleged thefts occurred.
The affidavit lists five fraudulent purchases flagged by the tribe’s housing accountant, ranging from $4,475 on the low end to $9,936.90 on the high end for items pertaining to a water filtration system, a water heater and two new water pumps.
The fraudulent purchases, which form the basis for the five counts of first-degree theft, allegedly began on Nov. 17, 2025, and concluded on Jan. 2.
Prosecutors allege that Draper approved the purchases himself — bypassing normal procedure — and used a fake company called “Kellam Environmental Services” for work that was never done.
The suspects allegedly used the same Olympia address listed on Kellam’s driver’s license as the company’s address.
Police used this information to link Kellam to the alleged thefts.
According to the affidavit, the tribe estimates Draper and Kellam stole over $100,000 from the tribe during Draper’s employment.
Police arrested the suspects on Jan. 22 following a multi-agency pursuit in Thurston County that included an airplane from the Washington State Patrol and a police K9.
The next morning, Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders wrote on Facebook that an executed search warrant of Draper’s truck yielded “Cowlitz Tribe property, a zip loc bag full of meth, an unserialized AR-15, an unserialized handgun, and drug paraphernalia.”
“Both suspects were turned over to Cowlitz Tribal Police for booking,” Sanders wrote.
The question remains whether additional felony charges will be filed in Lewis County Superior Court or within other jurisdictions.
On Wednesday, the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office confirmed it had not received any referrals from law enforcement regarding potential charges.
On Thursday, the Cowlitz Tribe’s public safety department confirmed the case was still under investigation, but did not comment on the possibility of charges in Cowlitz Tribal Court.
Earlier that morning, Draper, represented by defense attorney Don Blair, pleaded not guilty to all five counts of first-degree theft in Lewis County Superior Court.
Kellam, represented by defense attorney Chris Baum, also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Both are scheduled to appear for trial-setting hearings on Feb. 5.
