Whats more, not only did the new Sheriff pink slip to most of the cast, but as of July 1, he banned A&E producers from following anyone in his department. My office will continue to follow your recommendations set forth in the audit of former Sheriff L. Vernon Bourgeois four years in office, as I outlined in my letter to you of July 11, 2013, Larpenters letter states. Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joe Waitz said he recused his office from the matter because of connections with the Bourgeois family, though he said state authorities are still following up on the issue. Probably wants to focus on criminal justice or some absurd notion. By Free Britney at Jul 30, 2012 Reality TV. The show is successful, but locally there is a lot of negativity about the show and the newspaper perpetuates that.. Being on the top of a department there is a lot of weight on ones shoulders. Many lawmen might have considered their own TV show a sweet perk to a new job, but not this badge-wielding cop. He was reelected sheriff in 2012. . It'd be interesting to see what he would do with serious power. 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. Its unclear whether a criminal investigation is occurring. The audit, conducted by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, says Bourgeois took vacation pay he wasnt entitled to, used Sheriffs Office resources for personal gain and oversaw other infractions. State audits former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois. Follow Maki on Twitter at @mdlbsomosot. Larpenter declined the offer. 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. See more. Under current state law, there is a maximum cap on annual parish sheriff salaries.. Prosecutors agreed not to seize his assets if the restitution is paid off. Huge difference. "Cajun Justice" is a total misrepresentation of our culture and is very offensive to true Cajuns who are very proud of our heritage. Or at least it did until they got a new boss. A&E is very happy with the numbers, he said. It depicts our population as ignorant-voodoo practicing-illiterate fools. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera handles the prosecution for Foret and Stewart's cases. The audit was released in July. Foret and Stewart remain employed and on duty. Its been a definite lesson for me in the politics of Louisiana, thats for sure.. Larpenter then sent a letter to Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera, notifying him that the payment from Bourgeois as the audit recommended had been made. confirms that new sheriff Jerry Larpenter fired 24 people on DAY ONE including five of seven people featured on the show. speech pathologist and audiologist . He was criticized for taking. 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. what happened to sheriff vernon bourgeois. 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. The findings included an allegation that Bourgeois improperly drew vacation pay, Parish equipment was used without compensation by a company producing the reality show Cajun Justice and deputies were allegedly paid for working on the show while they also drew parish salaries. Send flowers or a gift to a service or family's home. Failure to collect more than $300,000 in property taxes from one company was also cited. 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. As Twitter discussed Wednesday's "Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America" finale Thursday morning: @AdamRichman picked a sandwich with BROCCOLI on it over Domilise's shrimp po-boy last night on "Best Sandwich"?! Tracking staffers in Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois' office and the citizens they police, the series met with some negative reaction by viewers in the parish, at least as reflected in the pages and on the website of the Houma Courier, which polled readers and solicited mini-reviews via Facebook. Judging from this comment on the website hollywoodgossip.comby a woman named Sarah, not everybody was thrilled with the way their parish was being represented on Cajun Justice: I live in Terrebonne Parish, in Houma, and this show is an embarrassment. @MikeScottTP @mzcoffman Try the sandwich! Catfish and Gators. 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. 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. It perpetuates the negative opinions of southeast Louisiana held by others through the degrading personifications of both our people and our lifestyle. An initial private audit ordered by Larpenter, who replaced Bourgeois in office, triggered the state audit. We have worked well together [and under his leadership] we have a very good working relationship with the sheriffs office, Duplantis said. Sheriff deputies responded and found 42-year-old Chad Wildt of Evansville, outside with a gunshot wound to the face. 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. Yes! The question that remains is whether any further action will be taken. 12 Partner. Foret's attorney, Rodney Baum of Baton Rouge, could not be reached for comment. You dont see a sheriff investigating another sheriff, Larpenter said. New Orleans-based FBI spokesman, Craig Betbeze, declined to comment Wednesday. borrow. 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. Brad Grundmeyer interviews retired Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois of Terrebonne Parish about the 24th Annual Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo. 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. Read more TV coverage at NOLA.com/tv. 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. 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 . tells TMZ, the new head honcho -- a guy named Jerry Larpenter -- FIRED 24 people on his first day. Federal prosecutors filed a bill of information April 5 alleging that Stewart stole over $1,000 in grant money from 2009 through 2012. One option is shooting the show in multiple parishes at once, making it a broader Cajun Justice highlighting several different departments, he said. Shortly after taking office in July 2011, Sheriff Jerry Larpenter raised questions about his predecessors spending habits. Allegedly Raced UGA Assistant Before Fatal Crash, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. 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. At 52, Bourgeois has worked with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office since 1982. The allegations centered on activities that occurred during the Bourgeois administration. Jefferson Parish is part of the Government industry, and located in Louisiana, United States. As a personal aside my mom loves [], Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), on Critics Choice Movie Awards Nominations, Psychic Tia: A&Es latest reality series brings a Jersey feel to the spirit world, Tonight is your last chance to win a Duck Dynasty Chia Willie, Single Ladies Decide if Country Livin is for Them in Farmer Wants a Wife. All rights reserved. Besides there IS NOT one town/city without crimes of any sort. But no indications of whether officials there have concerns that the states ethics laws may have been violated have yet appeared. Foret has done nothing wrong," he added. It was Bourgeois who took over from Larpenter when, in 2008, Larpenter ran for parish president. Staff Writer Maki Somosot can be reached at 857-2208 ormaki.somosot@houmatoday.com. Larpenter proceeded to fire two dozen staffers, many of which were featured prominently on the series. 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. Bourgeois has not been charged with any wrongdoing. Sheriff VERNON BOURGEOIS (Terrebonne Parish): Starting Friday at 6 a.m., we're going to allow people to do a look-and-leave program, that is, when people can come in to the area, assess their . In Southern Louisiana, alligators are just a part of everyday life. Along with the guilty plea, Stewart is barred from working in law enforcement and, as a felon, cannot legally possess a firearm. I must, but Domilise's is heaven on a loaf, so the bar's higher than NOLA humidity MT @AdamRichman: @MikeScottTP Try the sandwich! Despite season one averaging 1.5 million viewers an episode, the newly elected sheriff, Jerry Larpenter, did not agree with the way the series represented his parish. With such a unique show, we knew it would take a little while to catch on.". NAME: Louis Vernon Bourgeois, Jr. AGE . The show followed Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois. Oh, Adam. 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. In a response letter, Bourgeois alleged the current sheriff Jerry Larpenter is also misusing office funds. [3] Episodes [ edit] References [ edit] Were looking at a few different options, he said. RT @mzcoffman: Broccoli rabe, not broccoli. "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. Sentencing for Darryl B. Stewart is set for Sept. 7 in federal court in New Orleans. The federal grant allows deputies to conduct spot checks at local venues to catch juveniles who may be drinking illegally. 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. The Louisiana Ethics Board may decide to look at a plane trip Bouregois took with his wife and two deputies, on a private aircraft whose owners have not been reimbursed for wear and tear, fuel or other expenses. There were other accusations related to unpaid property taxes and about $350,000 worth of free renovations on a Savanne Road building now used to house an inmate work-release program. 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. In a public letter, Bourgeois said he was proud of having been able to raise deputy employment standards and expand services to citizens both in the field and through an Internet program during his time as sheriff. 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. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. 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. 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. 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. Following the release of the audit, which is based on financial documents supplied by the Sheriffs Office, Larpenter could have asked another agency to open an investigation into possible criminal infractions conducted during Bourgeois time but chose not to. State law also prohibits giving away public property or other things of value, such as inmate labor, to another person, association or corporation, public or private.. TV tweet of the day so far. For various reasons, officials with the Sheriffs Office and Terrebonne District Attorneys Office say they wont get involved in any criminal investigation. n Unauthorized use of a moveable, in this case the Sheriffs Office cars that were taken to sporting events in Louisiana and elsewhere. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser! Lest you think I'm crazy, Ian's smarts make him a genuine HoH threat the next time there's a trivia competish. Whether any further accountability will be required of Bourgeois, who made the payment under protest, remains to be seen. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. Last week, ex-sheriff Vernon Bourgeois repaid $19,175 to the department for gas, unauthorized leave and other expenses when he left office. The penalty is up to five years in jail and fines of up to $5,000. 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. confirmed, "We are no longer participating in the A&E show.". Both of these items caused his salary to exceed the state limit. There have been in the past and WILL be in the future shows of towns/ cities and such. "Cajun Justice" follows Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois and his team of deputies while they fight crime in the swamps of Louisiana . TCA Elementary panel: Why a Big Apple Holmes and a woman Watson could work, TCA: Weeds series finale and whats in those smokin props, Tia Belle (a.k.a. Theyll also see parts of her home life, [], Tonights new episode of A&Es Duck Dynasty represents the last chance to play the Virtual Duck Call game on Twitter and win some beard-tastic prizes. That would include a Chia Willie, or a prize pack with a $100 eGift card. I think the new sheriff has his nose in the air and better watch out for a HARD RAIN STORM! 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. 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. 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. "Cajun Justice" season finale bids farewell to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office. 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. Louisiana's legislative auditor believes former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois may have violated state law. She seems like she is outspoken enough to warrant at least 15 minutes of fame. 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. Today in "Big Brother." Point taken. Those questioned thought he deserved time off after three decades of law enforcement work. 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. Follow him at twitter.com/davewalkertp. No sheriff investigates another because we all know each other.. Take a good look at the cast and setting of "Cajun Justice" during its back-to-back episodes airing Thursday (Aug. 16) night. As this is only her arraignment hearing, Foret will not be allowed to plead guilty before a magistrate judge, said Anna Christman, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans. As both. The agency typically does not comment on investigations that do not pose an immediate threat to public safety, he noted. TV Linkzilla Daily for 8/16/12 starts now. A spokesman for Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell declined to comment on possible criminal charges. Reality shows come and go for one reason or another, but the situation with A&Es Cajun Justice is a precedent nobody ever could have imagined. It claims that laws appear to have been broken, but no charges have been filed against Bourgeois, who left office in June 2012. what happened to sheriff vernon bourgeois. The Terrabone Sheriffs Dept. How Does the CBS True Lies Series Compare to James Camerons 1994 Movie. Alone among the houseguests, he actually seems to be learning how to play the game better as the weeks pass. including 5 of the 7 cast members featured on the show. Genuine what happened to sheriff vernon bourgeois threat the next time there 's a trivia competish taxes from one company was also cited former... 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