Tag: louisiana

Louisiana Police Chiefs Indicted for Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering

A federal grand jury from the Western District of Louisiana has returned an indictment against five men in Louisiana. Two police chiefs, a city marshal, a business owner, and a former police chief are all accused of exploiting the U.S. immigration system for their own profit. 

The prosecutors allege that by filing false police reports, these men were able to fraudulently produce hundreds of U-Visas, special non-immigrant visas reserved for victims or witnesses of serious crimes who assist law enforcement.

Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook announced these charges are being leveled by the Homeland Security Task Force as part of “Operation Take Back America.”

The 62-count indictment released on Wednesday includes allegations of conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud, immigration fraud, visa fraud, and money laundering. The alleged conspiracy lasted for nearly a decade, from December 2015 to July 2025, according to the 21-page indictment.

“This was a very complex investigation,” said Van Hook. “It involved some very sophisticated law enforcement techniques. It was really top notch.” 

Businessman Chandrakant Patel is accused of orchestrating the scheme by collecting payments from illegal aliens in the United States. Patel then allegedly coordinated with law enforcement officers across multiple jurisdictions in Louisiana to file fake police reports and obtain fraudulent U-Visas. 

These false reports, signed by law enforcement officers, allowed foreign nationals to remain in the United States illegally. The indictment details how Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, City Marshal Michael Slaney, Forest Hill Police Chief Chad Dixon, and former Glenmora Police Chief Tibo Onishea each filed false police reports that supported U-Visa applications. 

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New Orleans Police Officer Who Shot a Puppy Will Face Trial

A Louisiana police officer who shot and killed a puppy in 2021 will now face trial, after a lengthy legal battle.

On April 10, 2021, two New Orleans Police Department officers were called to Derek Brown and Julia Barecki-Brown’s home after receiving a noise complaint. According to legal documents, as the pair approached the house, one officer, Derrick Burmaster, claimed he made “kissy noises” to attract any dogs. Believing there were no dogs nearby, the officers approached the Brown’s house. As they did so, a dog began barking, and Burmaster drew his firearm. While the other officer left the Browns’ yard after hearing the barking, Burmaster stayed, and the Brown’s two dogs then ran down the stairs of the home and approached the officers.

One of the dogs, a 16-week-old, 22-pound puppy named Apollo approached Burmaster while wagging his tail. Burmaster fired three shots at Apollo, striking the dog in his neck and chest. Hearing gunshots, the Browns came into the yard, and Derek “held Apollo as he died from the gunshot wound,” according to the couple’s lawsuit.

The couple filed a lawsuit against Burmaster and the City of New Orleans in 2022, alleging that Burmaster unconstitutionally ‘seized’ Apollo by shooting him. “It is clearly established that an officer cannot shoot a dog in the absence of an objectively legitimate and imminent threat to him or others,” the suit reads. “A twenty-two-pound Catahoula puppy, standing less than a foot and a half tall, does not present an objectively legitimate and imminent threat to police officers.”

A yearslong legal battle followed. Earlier this year, the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled against Burmaster’s attempt to appeal a lower court’s decision that the case could not be thrown out on qualified immunity grounds. 

“A reasonable jury could conclude that Burmaster did not reasonably believe that Bruno, a small puppy who was wagging his tail shortly before the shooting, posed a threat,” the decision reads. “A reasonable jury could further conclude that Burmaster did not reasonably believe he was in imminent danger, based on Bruno’s [sic] size, Burmaster’s ability to exit the yard, and the availability of non-lethal tools like the taser and police boots.” (The ruling appears to have confused Apollo’s name.)

Despite efforts to toss the Browns’ suit, the case is now set to go to trial. This is far from the first case of “puppycide,” where a police officer has shot a dog that posed no obvious threat to his saftey. Burmaster himself fatally shot another dog in 2012, according to The Associated Press. Earlier this month, another Louisiana police department announced that it was investigating two different incidents in which officers shot dogs. It’s not uncommon for puppycide cases to be particularly nonsensical. Last year, a Missouri man sued an officer who shot his 13-pound, deaf and blind Shih Tzu. In 2023, another Missouri family’s dog wandered away from their home during a storm. When a neighbor found the dog and called to police for help, the officer shot the dog and threw its body in a ditch, rather than simply returning it to its owners. 

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Mystery as Gone With The Wind-style plantation that’s one of south’s oldest antebellum homes is destroyed by huge blaze

One of the oldest Antebellum-era plantations in the country was destroyed after a massive fire ripped through the historic mansion and completely engulfed it in flames.

The massive inferno erupted at Louisiana‘s historic Nottoway Plantation House shortly after 2pm Thursday.

A giant orange wall of fire consumed the 166-year-old home, which was located along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The blaze, which started in the south wing of the building, devoured the upper portion of the rotunda and sent a plume of thick smoke into the sky. 

Officials claim the inferno quickly spread to the main house and left behind a trail of destruction. Footage from the property shows charred and collapsed remnants of the once beautiful house. 

The plantation’s northern wing and back wall were completely destroyed, with only the chimneys remaining on each side. The façade and upper balcony had also collapsed. 

Although authorities note it is too soon to determine the full extent of the damage, the mansion’s owner, Louisiana attorney Dan Dyess, said in a written statement that the fire had led to a ‘total loss’ after all the time and money he invested in the building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Iberville Parish government officials said. No injuries were reported. 

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Louisiana Lawmaker Proposes Marijuana Legalization Pilot Program As ‘Revenue Source’ For The State

Louisiana lawmakers are gearing up for another push to legalize marijuana in the state, with at least two proposals now filed to enact cannabis-related reform this session.

Rep. Candace Newell (D)—who has made repeated attempts to end criminalization—discussed her latest legislation in an interview with Louisiana First News that aired on Saturday, describing a proposed three-year pilot program that is “designed to test and evaluate parameters of the implementation of a permanent adult-use cannabis program,” according to a legislative analysis.

“Aside of just wanting to have legalized recreational marijuana, I’m also looking at another revenue source in the state of Louisiana,” Newell said. “I’m talking about statewide, across the board, education on the product—the use of the product, the dangers of it and how it can be beneficial.”

The sponsor added that, from her perspective, “what we’ve seen is the states where they’ve done just the full blanket legalization and regulation that that is failing.”

At the same time, she emphasized the potential revenue stream from legalizing and taxing cannabis for adults.

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How one state is getting education RIGHT — by going back to basics

Another year, another nationwide education disaster laid out in the scores issued by the nation’s report card.

Math scores are down, reading scores are down, every year worse than the last, as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Our kids can’t seem to recover from the school closures inflicted on them by the teachers’ unions and their weak politician friends during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What should American schools do to turn this around?

First they must face the reality of just how bad this problem has become. Even before COVID, our schools were on a slide to the bottom.

The pandemic just let American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten, with special powers awarded by the Biden administration, keep schools closed and give them that extra push down.

The disruption measurably hurt so many kids, the poorest most of all — but the collapse of American education has been in the works for decades, as schools became indoctrination factories instead of places of education.

We need to change course, and Louisiana gives us a roadmap.

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Louisiana Democrat Mayor Arrested in Shocking Drug and Prostitution Scandal — Accused of Using Taxpayer Dollars to Fund Airbnb for Escort

Bogalusa, Louisiana, the city already grappling with the scourge of drug-related violence, was rocked this week by the arrest of its youngest-ever mayor, 25-year-old Tyrin Truong.

Truong, a Democrat hailed as a rising star in his party after unseating long-time Mayor Wendy Perrette in 2022, now faces a litany of criminal charges, including allegations of drug trafficking, unauthorized use of a moveable, and soliciting prostitutes — actions that reportedly involved the misuse of taxpayer funds.

The Louisiana State Police Narcotics/Violent Crime Task Force announced Tuesday that an extensive investigation into a local drug trafficking organization had led to the arrest of Truong and six others.

“On Tuesday, Jan 7, 2025 at approximately 8:30 AM, Bogalusa Mayor Tyrin Truong was booked into the Washington Parish Jail on one count of soliciting for prostitutes, one count of unauthorized use of a movable, and two counts of transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses. No bail has been set at this time,” the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook.

Authorities allege that the organization distributed opioids, high-grade marijuana, THC products, and MDMA, using social media platforms to coordinate sales and payments.

According to the news release, “In April 2024, the Louisiana State Police Narcotics/Violent Crime Task Force (NVCTF) initiated a comprehensive investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) operating in the Bogalusa area. This joint operation, conducted over several months in collaboration with the 22nd Judicial District Court District Attorney’s Office, the Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Office, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) revealed the DTO’s involvement in the distribution of various Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS), including opioids, high-grade marijuana, THC products, and MDMA.”

“Investigators uncovered that members of the DTO were utilizing social media platforms to distribute CDS and manage payments, further expanding their reach and criminal activity. The investigation also determined that profits from drug sales were used to purchase firearms. Some of these firearms were funneled to individuals prohibited from legal possession, while others were linked to violent crimes in the Bogalusa area.”

Disturbingly, profits from these illegal activities were reportedly used to purchase firearms, some of which ended up in the hands of individuals prohibited from owning weapons and were linked to violent crimes in the region, CBS News reported.

Truong is accused of not only participating in these illegal activities but also using his position and public funds for personal gratification, according to Daily Mail.

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Attorney General Liz Murrill Sues DHS Over Release of Illegal Chinese National in Louisiana with Rare, Aggressive, Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Louisiana has filed an emergency lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and other federal entities.

This complaint is a reaction to ICE’s handling of a Chinese national carrying a severe, drug-resistant form of tuberculosis (TB) – pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR TB) – which was transported through various Louisiana detention facilities without sufficient medical isolation.

The federal government’s actions have exposed hundreds of detainees and potentially the broader Louisiana public to a significant health threat.

The lawsuit highlights the incompetence and disregard of ICE for state-mandated health safety measures. Louisiana’s Surgeon General, Ralph Abraham, alongside Attorney General Liz Murrill, has demanded that all detainees be medically cleared by the Louisiana Department of Health before being released.

According to Louisiana officials, this case underscores a critical public health emergency that places the state’s citizens in jeopardy.

The complaint calls for an immediate restraining order to prevent ICE from releasing detainees unless medically cleared.

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Louisiana’s New Law Sparks First Amendment Showdown

Under Louisiana’s new, recently enacted law (HB 173), journalists and other citizens are limited in their right to film the police.

Anyone who finds themselves within 25 feet of an on-duty officer doing that – after being warned to stop or retreat – could face misdemeanor charges.

Now a group of Louisiana-based media companies is challenging the new legislation by suing the state – Attorney General Liz Murrill and two other officials – on First Amendment grounds, seeking an injunction.

The plaintiffs behind the Deep South Today v. Murrill case, brought before the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, go into the importance of the media being able to cover police activity to ensure public scrutiny and avoid miscarriage of justice.

HB 173, the filing continues, “has grave implications for the ability of reporters and news organizations, including plaintiffs, to exercise their First Amendment rights.”

Although the lawsuit does not specifically mention the consequence the law could have on speech online, given that a majority of videos showing police at work get posted on the internet, the restrictions imposed by the act could also have indirect implications for that form of freedom of expression.

According to the plaintiffs, the law is unconstitutional and enables the police to prevent both journalists and the public from being close enough to document their work.

At the same time, officers are allowed to stop those filming them from approaching, either providing a reason or not, and that includes public gatherings, arrests, and reporting from the scene of an accident.

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Mayor resigns amid allegations of child rape, turns herself in to police days later but maintains innocence

A now-former Louisiana mayor facing allegations that she sexually assaulted a minor while in office says she is innocent.

Misty Dawn Clanton Roberts, 42, stands accused of one count each of rape in the third degree and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, according to law enforcement in the Pelican State.

The defendant was arrested by Louisiana State Police and booked into the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

On July 27, Roberts informally resigned as mayor of DeRidder, a small town roughly 50 miles north of Lake Charles. She was in the middle of her second term as the municipality’s executive, winning reelection with 60% of the vote in 2022.

Under Louisiana state election law, the secretary of state must receive a signed and notarized letter to formally process a resignation — which reportedly had not occurred as of late last week, city officials told Lake Charles-based newspaper American Press.

The mayor quitting midterm was a bit of a whirlwind.

On July 25, Roberts sent a relatively innocuous letter to the city council announcing she would be “out of the city” for two weeks and left DeRidder Fire Chief Ken Harlow in charge as acting mayor.

But after the resignation letter, rumors swirled across the bayous.

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Louisiana Parents Sue Over Law Mandating 10 Commandments Displays in Classrooms

Last month, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed a bill mandating that a copy of the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms in Louisiana. The law, House Bill 71, requires that the religious scripture be displayed on a poster or frame sized at least 11 inches by 14 inches and in a “large, easily readable font.” 

Apparently anticipating a First Amendment challenge to the mandatory religious text, lawmakers included several provisions that attempt to strengthen the law against a constitutional challenge. For example, the law prohibits schools from using taxpayer funds to finance the posters, instead directing them to accept private donations.

The law further directs schools to display a context document that describes “the history of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education.” This requirement attempts to undermine the religious nature of the scripture, instead showing how the “historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation’s history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government.”

While the text of the law attempts to dodge accusations that it prescribes public schools to display an openly Christian text in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, Louisiana lawmakers openly argued that the law would put religion in Louisiana schools.

“I really believe that we are lacking in direction. A lot of people, their children, are not attending churches or whatever,” Rep. Sylvia Taylor (D–Laplace), a co-author and co-sponsor of the bill, said during a debate over the bill. “So what I’m saying is, we need to do something in the schools to bring people back to where they need to be.” Another sponsor state Rep. Dodie Horton (R–Haughton) said that the bill “seeks to have a display of God’s law in the classroom for children to see what He says is right and what He says is wrong.”

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