The shows first season so far has averaged about 1.5 million viewers an episode, Kadin said, facing strong competition early and late in its run against the NBA Playoffs and then the Summer Olympics. Calls to A&E and the show's production company were not returned. Current Sheriff Jerry Larpenter, who held the office for decades, left in 2009 to wage a failed bid for parish president. including 5 of the 7 cast members featured on the show. Along with the guilty plea, Stewart is barred from working in law enforcement and, as a felon, cannot legally possess a firearm. And Slick, Sheriff Bourgeois is the crook. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. Nearly six months after a legislative audit report noted potentially illegal actions by former Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois during his tenure, nobody knows if criminal charges will result. Failure to collect more than $300,000 in property taxes from one company was also cited. Um, can you say game over? The agency typically does not comment on investigations that do not pose an immediate threat to public safety, he noted. Former Terrebonne Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois has squared away paying the $19,175 the Louisiana Legislative Auditor says he owes the parish for gas, unauthorized leave and other expenses when he left office in 2011. Coffee shop conversation on Bourgeois announcement was one of both surprise and support of the popular sheriffs decision. Foret and Stewart remain employed and on duty. We're told not only did the new Sheriff can most the cast, but as of July 1, he banned producers from following ANYONE in his department. Prosecutors agreed not to seize his assets if the restitution is paid off. Follow him at twitter.com/davewalkertp. A sixth cast member quit to support his fellow comrades. Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois is the most powerful man in town--overseeing the investigation of every strange and eerie occurrence in the region. A&E's 'Cajun Justice' departs Terrebonne Parish after season finale, Dave Walker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. The one-paragraph bill of information released today accuses 38-year-old Dawn C. Foret of stealing or converting more than $1,000 of federal money from the U.S. Department of Transportation for her own use between November 2010 and July 2012. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. The other three alleged violations pertain to Baby Oil 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. The interesting aspect of reality TV is how it is perceived by the people who appear in the programs. The same plane was used on another occasion, to fly Bourgeois back to Houma during a Super Bowl holiday, to handle arrangements and other business following the death of a deputy, Tim Bergeron. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser! 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. If a sheriff or elected official does something wrong, that is when you get an outside agency to come in and investigate. They often have to solve disputes between neighbors, or have to catch people doing illegal acts on the bayou, such as illegally hunting alligators, among other things.[3]. You dont see a sheriff investigating another sheriff, Larpenter said. Bourgeois has been chided for several violations during his tenure in office and has returned more than $15,000 in what the audit describes as ill-gotten gains. Point taken. Former Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois and current Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said they were not aware of these actions and did not authorize Stewart to approve his own overtime, according to the factual . Potential criminal violations noted in the audit include: n Theft, which carries a penalty of fines and up to 10 years in prison depending on the value of the item or service. [2], The show focuses on the experiences of the Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana Sheriff's Office. He repaid the money after the audits release. Larpenter declined the offer. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. We have worked well together [and under his leadership] we have a very good working relationship with the sheriffs office, Duplantis said. It was Bourgeois who took over from Larpenter when, in 2008, Larpenter ran for parish president. The Terrebonne Sheriff Dept. The law requires collection of annual taxes or that property be seized and sold to settle the tax debt, neither of which happened in the case of Baby Oil, auditors said. The show is successful, but locally there is a lot of negativity about the show and the newspaper perpetuates that.. There have been in the past and WILL be in the future shows of towns/ cities and such. 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. Huge difference. Kadin said he tried to get Larpenter to think about it by increasing the show's payment to the budget-strapped department from $1,500 an episode to $10,000 an episode. @MikeScottTP Broccoli rabe, not broccoli. Lest you think I'm crazy, Ian's smarts make him a genuine HoH threat the next time there's a trivia competish. The allegations centered on activities that occurred during the Bourgeois administration. 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. I definitely can relate to that.. what happened to sheriff vernon bourgeois Noticias Afina. TV Linkzilla Daily for 8/16/12 starts now. In fact, weve seen in to be just the opposite on everything from Hoarders to Dance Moms to Toddlers & Tiaras. Bourgeois said he wishes to make no comment on either audit. what happened to sheriff vernon bourgeois. "A&E Presents New Original Real-Life Series 'Cajun Justice' Thursday, June 7 at 10PM ET/PT", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cajun_Justice&oldid=1093138799, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 June 2022, at 20:14. 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. "Cajun Justice" season finale bids farewell to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Larpenter is trying to maintain the integrity of our public defenders as well as the integrity of our beautiful parish., Larpenter has not spoken specifically about why he pulled the plug, but this statement on his website speaks volumes about his serious approach to law enforcement:I will provide a professional staff in all departments of the Sheriffs Office that will serve you, the people of Terrebonne Parish. The infractions range from possible criminal actions, like theft, to breaches governed by the state Ethics Board. According to a factual basis document in Stewart's case, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and the U.S. Department of Justice Equitable Sharing Agreement supporting the Drug Enforcement Administration were for personnel overtime and equipment to support a multi-jurisdictional drug task force in Terrebonne Parish. "I think the show is ridiculous and disrespectful to the people of this parish," Larpenter told Katie Urbaszewski @ the Courier earlier this month. Hosted by Michael Strahan (the Super Bowl champion, Fox NFL Sunday analyst, and Live! The question that remains is whether any further action will be taken. The Louisiana Attorney General's Office said earlier this year Bourgeois will not face state charges. n Malfeasance, the term used when a public servant intentionally refuses or fails to perform required duties. Bourgeois has been chided for several violations during his tenure in office and has returned more than $15,000 in what the audit describes as ill-gotten gains. For the sake of full disclosure, I am a voting member of the group that annually hosts the awards, the BFCA (Broadcast Film Critics Association). But no indications of whether officials there have concerns that the states ethics laws may have been violated have yet appeared. 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. 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. 2023 www.houmatoday.com. Heck, they might want to give Sarah from Terrebonne Parish a call. seems like most shows i enjoy get cancelled anymore. A&E is very happy with the numbers, he said. 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, and using on-duty deputies to film a TV show called "Cajun Justice." Larpenter then sent a letter to Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera, notifying him that the payment from Bourgeois as the audit recommended had been made. The audits also found that Terrebonne sheriffs deputies worked about 53 hours filming reenactments for the televisions series Cajun Justice. The audit found the deputies were paid by both the Sheriffs Office and film company, possibly violating state law. Foret, Stewart and Bourgeois could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Former Terrebonne Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois has squared away paying the $19,175 the Louisiana Legislative Auditor says he owes the parish for gas, unauthorized leave and other expenses when he left office in 2011. He was also singled out for providing security detail to Nicholls State University away games during three seasons, resulting in fuel, meal and salary costs of $21,000. The cast of A&Es reality show Cajun Justice is dealing with a new sheriff in town one apparently bent on not having his team featured on a reality show. As part of the plea, Stewart must also pay $15,925 in mandatory restitution to the government. Foret, who resigned from the Sheriff's Office on June 13, had been under federal investigation since 2012 for allegedly accepting federal money to conduct an underage drinking eradication program while simultaneously being paid for off-duty work between 2008 and 2012. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. One option is shooting the show in multiple parishes at once, making it a broader Cajun Justice highlighting several different departments, he said. Both of these items caused his salary to exceed the state limit. Vernon Bourgeois has been working as a Deputy Sheriff at Jefferson Parish for 8 years. . Waitz said his office engaged in negotiations with Bourgeois to secure the check, which was forwarded to Sheriff Jerry Larpenter. The Sheriff's Office should spare no expense during evacuations, even if it means making separate trips to rescue people who previously refused help. It claims that laws appear to have been broken, but no charges have been filed against Bourgeois, who left office in June 2012. The A&E network reality series, which has performed well enough ratings-wise to get a renewal, is moving on after its 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. season-finale episodes. Louisiana's legislative auditor believes former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois may have violated state law. The question that remains is whether any further action will be taken. speech pathologist and audiologist . i loved the show! what happened to sheriff vernon bourgeois. Allegedly Raced UGA Assistant Before Fatal Crash, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. michelle o'neill eyebrows meme. The agency is also investigating the officers' alleged simultaneous acceptance of payment for off-duty work, although the exact issue was unclear Wednesday. The reality of this reality TV situation is that A&E will lick its wounds, move on and find another show to fill the void. He owns a house in Houma, but countless attempts by reporters to reach him there and by phone since he left office have proven unsuccessful. Under current state law, there is a maximum cap on annual parish sheriff salaries.. Wrote Courier executive editor Keith Magill in a June 10 column, which also aired out some of the Facebook reaction: At best, it's mindless TV and a waste of time that could be better spent fighting real crime instead of make-believe voodoo rituals, Rougaroo sightings and other so-called dramatic recreations that have or will be featured. I must, but Domilise's is heaven on a loaf, so the bar's higher than NOLA humidity MT @AdamRichman: @MikeScottTP Try the sandwich! The audit found the deputies were paid by both the Sheriff's Office and film company, possibly violating state law. Sheriff deputies responded and found 42-year-old Chad Wildt of Evansville, outside with a gunshot wound to the face. Send Flowers. At 52, Bourgeois has worked with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office since 1982. He was reelected sheriff in 2012. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera handles the prosecution for Foret and Stewart's cases. On Psychic Tia, premiering Aug. 3 at 10pm on A&E, viewers will get to see the former police detective (she left the force after a near-fatal illness made her reprioritize things) in her new line of work, giving readings and channeling the spirits of departed loved ones at her shop, The Craft. A recent audit focuses on Bourgeois' salary, benefits and travel expenses during his four years as sheriff, from 2008 until last year. Show your support. Bourgeois did not give any indication as to what he intends to do after the first of the year when his term comes to an end. Teamed Up W/ Conor's Proper No. All the articles in the local paper were very negative about the show, Kadin said. Vernon, was found dead from a . May 25 2022. places to go for your 16th birthday. Whether any further accountability will be required of Bourgeois, who made the payment under protest, remains to be seen. "Now we are monitoring everything and working with our financials to make sure we have new equipment, manpower and personnel," he added. Follow Maki on Twitter at @mdlbsomosot. In Southern Louisiana, alligators are just a part of everyday life. Although copies of the audit were forwarded to Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell and the US Department of Justice, there are no indications that either office is leaning toward criminal prosecution. Terrebonne Parish Sheriff L. Vernon Bourgeois Jr., has announced that he will not seek reelection to the job he has held for one term following the retirement of former Sheriff Jerry Larpenter. "Why would I even think about it?". Stewart, who worked as head of the Terrebonne Parish Narcotics Task Force until his resignation on April 11, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. RT @mzcoffman: Broccoli rabe, not broccoli. Oh, Adam. [3] Episodes [ edit] References [ edit] Today in "Big Brother." Terrebonne Parish Sheriff L. Vernon Bourgeois Jr., has announced that he will not seek reelection to the job he has held for one term following the retirement of former Sheriff Jerry Larpenter. Paranoia maybe. It'd be interesting to see what he would do with serious power. Logically, it's a no-brainer to continue the filming simply because of the immediate benefit to the sheriff's office itself, so this just goes to show how much Jerry hates Vernon and the idea that this is Vernon's show, said Kadin, adding that hell soon begin scouting other parishes for a second-season setting. Late last summer, a Louisiana sheriff decided to use a long-dormant, unconstitutional criminal libel law to track down an online critic and search his home.Not that anyone had really been using . Larpenter was at the time resuming leadership of the office, following the single term of former sheriff Vernon Bourgeois, who took the reins after Larpenter left to pursue an unsuccessful bid to be Terrebonne's parish president in 2008. The Terrebonne Sheriff's Dept. New Orleans-based FBI spokesman, Craig Betbeze, declined to comment Wednesday. The jet, which belongs to Houma businessman Tony Alford, attorney Michael St. Martin and other partners, was used to fly Bourgeois and the others to an awards ceremony. But a St. Louis sheriff used the occasion of a disrupting phone call during a home screening of Mulan to unload about a deputy he considered disloyal.. Sheriff Vernon Betts was already angry, apparently, at Deputy Sheriff Steve Chalmers, who failed to put up yard signs for the sheriff when he was running for the position. Believes former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois may have violated state law Sheriff 's and. 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