Published on: November 10, 2025, 02:30h.
Updated on: November 10, 2025, 02:30h.
- Casino shutdown triggered by alleged break-in and faction clashes
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation, BIA take action for public safety
- Long-standing disputes resurface amidst Thlopthlocco Tribal Town unrest
A break-in attempt at the Golden Pony Casino in Okemah, Oklahoma, last week has led to an indefinite lockdown of the establishment, as reported by the local indigenous media outlet Mvskoke Media.
This small casino is owned by the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town (TTT), a federally recognized Muscogee (Creek) tribe that maintains its own sovereign governance. It was shut down on November 3, just a day after the early-morning break-in, and remains closed, as indicated on the casino’s official website.
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s (MCN) Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are actively investigating the incident, as per Mvskoke Media. Neither agency has confirmed if the break-in is linked to an ongoing leadership conflict within the TTT.
Conflicting Interests
On October 27, Town King Brent Brown, the elected leader of the tribe, submitted a petition for both emergency and permanent injunctions along with a declaratory judgment against two competing factions.
He accused these groups of trespassing in government offices, making threats to workers and bank personnel, and disrupting access to federal websites vital for the Tribal Town’s operations. Brown also requested the court to validate which faction represents the legitimate governing body of Thlopthlocco. A temporary restraining order was granted on the same day.
“With our reservation status, there have been allegations of lawlessness cropping up within our jurisdiction,” stated Muscogee (Creek) Nation Attorney General Geri Wisner in an interview with Mvskoke Media. “I’m committed to ensuring there is no perception or reality of lawlessness and violence prevailing in any area.”
Wisner emphasized that the MCN is focused on preserving peace, ensuring safety for individuals, safeguarding property, and supporting the governmental processes and decisions concerning the Thlopthlocco people.
Authority and Financial Control
Leadership struggles are not uncommon in tribal governance, particularly when it involves disputes over authority and control of gaming operations.
A notorious conflict arose in October 2014 within the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, culminating in violence at their casino near Fresno, California.
A group of armed 20 men affiliated with a rival faction stormed into the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, pushing security personnel into a secured area as guests fled in panic.
Authorities reported that this group claimed they were searching for missing financial documents overdue for submission to the National Indian Gaming Commission. Subsequently, a federal judge ordered the closure of the casino during the ongoing litigation, leaving it shuttered for over a year and costing the tribe millions in lost income.
Acts of ‘Domestic Terrorism’
In a separate incident in New York State in 2020, members of the Cayuga Nation police department demolished several structures – including a daycare center, schoolhouse, and store – under orders from leader Clint Halftown. These structures were located on land governed by a rival faction that did not acknowledge Halftown’s leadership.
Local officials in Seneca County described this act as “domestic terrorism.”