The FBI is investigating the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office use of federal grant money to combat underage drinking that allegedly involved two top-ranking police officials.
The agency is also investigating the officers' alleged simultaneous acceptance of payment for off-duty work, although the exact issue was unclear Wednesday.
Terrebonne Sheriff's Assistant Chief of Detectives Capt. Dawn Foret and Head of the Narcotics Task Force Maj. Darryl Stewart have been under investigation since 2012 for accepting federal money to conduct the program while being paid for off-duty work.
New Orleans-based FBI spokesman, Craig Betbeze, declined to comment Wednesday. The agency typically does not comment on investigations that do not pose an immediate threat to public safety, he noted.
No charges have been filed against either employee, and neither have been investigated for similar disciplinary issues in the past, Terrebonne sheriff Jerry Larpenter said.
"These are two of the top individuals that I've ever had the pleasure of working with," Larpenter added, noting that the allegations came about in 2012 when he resumed office from former sheriff Vernon Bourgeois.
Foret, Stewart and Bourgeois could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Foret and Stewart remain employed and on duty.
Foret's attorney, Rodney Baum, said his client has a "spotless record" in 18 years with the sheriff's office and has previously been cleared of wrongdoing by the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.
"The FBI have been investigating this case for over 3 years with no final disposition. We have cooperated with the federal investigation and provided them with evidence that we believe demonstrates that Capt. Foret has done nothing wrong," he added.
One of Larpenter's first steps upon resuming office was to order an extensive internal audit, the results and records of which he said he turned over to state auditors, the state Attorney General's office and the FBI.
The audits also found that Terrebonne sheriff's deputies worked about 53 hours filming reenactments for the televisions series "Cajun Justice." The audit found the deputies were paid by both the Sheriff's Office and film company, possibly violating state law.
Bourgeois was the subject of an audit that accused him of a variety of legal and ethical violations, including using Sheriff's Office cars to go to sporting events around the state and elsewhere, using on-duty deputies to film a TV show called "Cajun Justice," and accusations related to unpaid property taxes and about $350,000 worth of free renovations on a Savanne Road building now used by a private contractor to house an inmate work-release program.
Bourgeois has not been charged with any wrongdoing. A records request by The Courier in 2014 turned up no documents exchanged between the Attorney General's Office and the Sheriff's Office related to the audit.
Following a month-long investigation, the state Attorney General's office did not find any evidence of criminal wrongdoing with regards to Foret and Stewart, Larpenter said.
"Now we are monitoring everything and working with our financials to make sure we have new equipment, manpower and personnel," he added.
The federal grant allows deputies to conduct spot checks at local venues to catch juveniles who may be drinking illegally. Foret allegedly clocked in the same hours doing the spot checks as when she worked an off-duty detail at a local tugboat company.
Staff Writer Maki Somosot can be reached at 857-2208 ormaki.somosot@houmatoday.com. Follow Maki on Twitter at @mdlbsomosot.
