NEW ORLEANS — A third arrest has been made in the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office's ongoing investigation involving schemes to defraud the agency and the public of more than $90,000. On Tuesday, a second former employee accused of misappropriating funds in the financial fraud scheme is now behind bars.
Toya Robertson, 51, was arrested in connection to the scheme after she allegedly misappropriated funds from the OPSO Inmate Trust Fund for former and current jail residents, the sheriff's office said in a release.
Detectives said they discovered that the scheme also involved Robertson allegedly falsifying journal entries and issuing unauthorized check disbursements from former jail resident accounts to hide cash discrepancies from deposits made at the bond window.
Robertson had been an OPSO employee for 20 years.
“As Sheriff, I have made it my mission to rebuild public trust by implementing meaningful reforms, modernizing our systems, and fostering a culture of accountability,” Sheriff Susan Hutson said. “By taking decisive action against misconduct, we are steering this agency into a new era—one that reflects the highest standards of integrity and service.”
This comes after another former employee, Labrina Carey Lackey, 57, was booked on felony charges on Monday. Last week, the first arrest involved former OPSO Grant's Department employee Kenneth Aaron Lawson, who was arrested and faces multiple felony charges, including theft, bank fraud, and public contract fraud.
Lawson is accused of creating a fictitious business to misappropriate more than $75,000 in federal grant funds for his personal use.
Lackey is accused of misappropriating funds from the OPSP Inmate Trust Fund.
Robertson was booked into the Orleans Justice Center on the following felony charges:
- Theft over $25,000
- Monetary Instrument Abuse
- Obstruction of Justice
- Injuring Public Records
- Filing False Public Records
- Malfeasance in Office
- Public Contract Fraud
Sheriff Hutson called a press conference last Friday to address the results of an in-depth financial review that allegedly found several Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office personnel involved in schemes to defraud the agency and the public. Following the press conference, the OPSO released a comprehensive list of key actions the department is taking to improve internal controls and fight against financial discrepancies and fraud.
Those actions include:
- Cashless System Implementation: We have established clear guidelines and processes for handling financial transactions by implementing a cashless system at both the acceptance and release windows for residents. Multiple kiosk machines have been installed to allow residents and their family members to add funds directly for commissary purposes.
- Partnership with Banking Institutions: We have partnered with our banking partners to arrange for armored car services that will clear the kiosk machines, eliminating the manual process of counting cash in the back office and ensuring more secure handling of funds.
- Updated Authorization and Verification Procedures: Internal authorization levels have been revised to include additional documentation requirements for verification and reconciliation. These changes are designed to minimize the risk of fraud and ensure that all transactions are properly reviewed by multiple appropriate parties.
- Segregation of Duties: To further mitigate fraud risks, we have strengthened our segregation of duties by assigning different aspects of financial transactions to multiple employees. This ensures no single individual has full control over any part of the process, which reduces the potential for fraudulent activity.
- Future Technology Integration: In the coming weeks, we will be issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a comprehensive Financial Database that will fully automate several key processes and allow for integration between multiple systems, further enhancing operational efficiency and security.
- Insurance Coverage: Our Commercial Crime Insurance will provide reimbursement to any former jail residents directly impacted by malicious activity, ensuring that those affected are promptly compensated.
According to OPSO, the investigations into the grants department and inmate account theft are ongoing.
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