TROOPERGATE: Federal Grand Jury Subpoenas 18 State Troopers

According to reports, FBI agents all over Louisiana have served subpoenas to members of the Louisiana State Troopers Association. Louisiana Voice reports that the subpoenas are related to the “Troopergate” scandal that alleges the Louisiana State Troopers Association illegally funneled campaign contributions through its executive director David Young.

Among those that have received the illegal contributions are Governor John Bel Edwards.

From Louisiana Voice:

Today, FBI agents fanned out across the state to simultaneously serve federal grand jury subpoenas on 18 State Troopers, LouisianaVoice has learned. Included among those served were officers and directors of that very same LSTA that DPS refuses to investigate.

One report indicated that the LSTA board of directors was in its monthly meeting Wednesday when federal agents walked in and served each board member with his subpoena.

LouisianaVoice has not learned the date of the grand jury nor was the specific subject readily available. But because troopers from across the state were served, it would seem reasonable to assume that the thrust of the federal investigation is the laundering of campaign contributions by the LSTA through the association’s executive director David Young, a story LouisianaVoice broke more than a year ago.

It was not immediately known if Young was one of those served on Wednesday.

It was also learned that the FBI has already interviewed some of those slapped with subpoenas today.

The LSTA board is comprised of trooper representatives from each of the eight state police troops. The individual troop headquarters are located in Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish, Kenner in Jefferson Parish, Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish, Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish, Lafayette in Lafayette Parish, Monroe in Ouachita Parish, Bossier City in Bossier Parish and Gray in Terrebonne Parish.

Neither Edmonson, Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy nor Director of Management and Finance Lt. Col. Jason Starnes were among those handed subpoenas. Only LSTA officers, directors and former officers and directors were served.

Regardless, reports out of State Police headquarters in Baton Rouge say command personnel have been in “full panic mode” all afternoon as they hunkered down in meetings. As my grandfather used to say, you probably couldn’t pull a needle out of their butts with a John Deere tractor. A federal grand jury subpoena, after all, is less welcome than an IRS audit letter—and who knows? That might not be far behind.

The subpoenas come as the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, the agency that oversees the state police, declared the matter “closed.” Retired State Trooper Leon “Bucky” Millet sent a letter complaining about the conduct of LSTA’s board of directors. DPS refused to reopen the investigation.

After today’s subpoenas, they may want to reconsider that.

 

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