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• Lawyers: Ohio kidnap suspect will plead not guilty

  May 15, 2013 9:50 AM

  CLEVELAND - The attorneys for a Cleveland man accused of keeping three women in captivity for about a decade say he will plead not guilty. Attorneys Craig Weintraub and Jay Schlachet say that suspect Ariel Castro has been portrayed as a "monster" in the media, and after meeting with him... more »

• Colorado shootings suspect to enter insanity plea

  May 7, 2013 4:41 PM

  DENVER - Lawyers for the man accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 in a Colorado movie theater say he wants to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Attorneys for James Holmes said in a court filing Tuesday they plan to formally ask for the... more »

• Bail set in Addis murder-for-hire case

  May 2, 2013 7:41 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A state district judge set bail at $500,000 during arraignment proceedings for a woman accused of the murder-for-hire killing of her husband in West Baton Rouge Parish. 43-year-old Monique Kitts entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to a charge of second-degree murder in the 2010 slaying... more »

• 'Billy the Exterminator' drug charge: guilty plea

  May 1, 2013 4:07 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - William "Billy" Bretherton's attorney says the star of the A&E reality TV show "Billy the Exterminator" has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of possessing synthetic marijuana. Allyn Stroud says Bretherton was put on probation for a year and prosecutors dropped charges against his wife. Billy and... more »

• Ex-officer pleads not guilty to malfeasance

  April 5, 2013 8:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A former Baton Rouge police officer told a state judge he is innocent of felony charges that accuse him of falsifying misdemeanor summonses while he was on the force. Derek Burns has pleaded not guilty to first-degree injuring of public records and malfeasance. Both offenses carry up... more »

• Holmes to hear if prosecutors will seek execution

  April 1, 2013 8:08 AM

  CENTENNIAL, Colo. - After a week of legal twists and turns, James Holmes will find out Monday if he could be executed if convicted in the Colorado theater attack that killed 12 people. Legal analysts say a plea deal is still possible in the Colorado theater shootings despite a rare... more »

• Reese drops insanity defense, pleads guilty

  March 14, 2013 2:16 PM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE - Trevor Reese, the teen accused of killing an 8-year-old boy almost three years ago, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges today after he dropped his insanity defense. Reese was scheduled to go to trial Monday on first-degree murder charges. A date for a sentencing hearing has... more »

• Colo. judge enters not guilty plea for Holmes

  March 12, 2013 11:03 AM

  CENTENNIAL, Colo. - The judge in the deadly Colorado shooting case has entered a not guilty plea on behalf of James Holmes after his lawyer said he's not ready to enter a plea. The judge says Holmes can change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity later, if... more »

• Man to plead guilty in identity theft case

  February 17, 2013 10:32 AM

  MONROE - A change of plea hearing is scheduled Tuesday for a man charged in Louisiana with trying use a fraudulent Social Security number to obtain a drivers license and identification documents. William Lyman Agnew is scheduled to charge his plea to guilty in U.S. District Court in Monroe. He... more »

• Teen pleads guilty in January 2012 mall shooting

  February 7, 2013 7:36 AM

  BATON ROUGE - An 18-year-old from Baker has admitted his involvement in a January 2012 shooting outside the Mall of Louisiana that injured two teenage bystanders. Michael L. Burrell pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder and was sentenced to two years... more »

• Randy Travis to enter drunken-driving plea

  January 28, 2013 2:28 PM

  SHERMAN, Texas - A prosecutor says country music star Randy Travis is expected to enter a guilty plea in a drunken-driving case in North Texas. Grayson County District Attorney Joe Brown said Monday that details of the plea agreement will be released following Travis' court appearance Thursday in Sherman. Travis... more »

• Army general expected to enter plea on sex charges

  January 22, 2013 5:24 AM

  FORT BRAGG, N.C. - An Army general facing court-martial is set to enter his plea on a series of sexual misconduct charges. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday before a military judge at Fort Bragg, N.C. Sinclair will be formally informed of the charges and offered... more »

• NO officer pleads not guilty to accepting bribes

  January 18, 2013 5:55 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A 37-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department has pleaded not guilty to a felony count of public bribery. Officer John Ray, who has been with the department since 1975, is accused of accepting $600 in bribes from a tow-truck company between 2010 and 2011.... more »

• Blast victims' relatives weigh in on BP plea deal

  January 16, 2013 10:17 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Relatives of workers killed in the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion are sharing their stories with the judge who will decide whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for the 2010 disaster. Wednesday is the deadline... more »

• Transocean spill settlement heads to court

  January 9, 2013 7:38 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Transocean Ltd. is scheduled to make an initial court appearance in New Orleans Wednesday for its plea agreement with the Justice Department over the company's role in the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Transocean has agreed to pay $400 million in criminal... more »

• 6th Miss. man pleads guilty in attacks on blacks

  January 3, 2013 12:47 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - A sixth man has pleaded guilty in connection with racially motivated attacks by young whites against blacks in Jackson. Joseph Paul Dominick, 21, of Brandon pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit a hate crime. He faces up to five years in prison. U.S. District Judge Carlton... more »

• Judge sets date to rule on BP plea deal over spill

  December 11, 2012 4:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge says she will decide next month whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for its role in a deadly 2010 rig explosion and the massive oil spill it triggered in the Gulf... more »

• 2 women plead guilty to SNAP fraud

  December 7, 2012 12:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Officials say an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services' Fraud and Recovery Unit has led to two women pleading guilty to receiving nearly $30,000 in ineligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Officials say Katrina Howard of Winnsboro illegally obtained benefits from April 2008... more »

• Businessman pleads guilty in bribery scheme

  December 5, 2012 12:26 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A businessman charged with plotting to bribe an unidentified former New Orleans public official has pleaded guilty. Rodney Williams entered the plea Wednesday to bribery conspiracy charges in U.S. District Court. Court papers don't name the city official, but his tenure matches former Mayor Ray Nagin's term... more »

• 2 admit to over-fishing sharks in La.

  November 30, 2012 3:28 PM

  BELLE CHASSE - Two men have pleaded guilty to a Louisiana fishing violation after authorities said fins from hundreds of sharks were found aboard their vessel. Louisiana's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says 37-year-old Rick Nguyen of Buras and 29-year-old Hung Anh Tiet of Dallas pleaded guilty Thursday to concealing... more »

• BP arraigned in oil spill case, pleads not guilty

  November 27, 2012 3:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A lawyer for BP PLC entered a not-guilty plea for the company as it was arraigned on charges stemming from a deadly 2010 rig explosion and massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The plea Tuesday in federal court was a procedural move paving the... more »

• Judge sets meeting to discuss BP plea deal

  November 26, 2012 11:20 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has rescheduled a closed-door meeting to discuss BP's agreement to plead guilty to criminal charges stemming from its deadly 2010 rig explosion and response to the massive Gulf oil spill. U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance had planned to meet Thursday in her chambers with... more »

• Guilty pleas entered in killing

  October 23, 2012 11:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Two people entered guilty pleas today in Baton Rouge in connection with the killing of a man who was later found dumped in Livingston Parish a year ago. Jean Paul Creppel, 34, and Danielle Palermo, 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and armed robbery charges in the... more »

• Man pleads guilty to 8 fishing, oyster violations

  October 17, 2012 5:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says a 25-year-old Houma man arrested for alleged oyster and boating violations has pleaded guilty to 18 earlier charges. Wildlife and Fisheries' Enforcement Division spokesman Adam Einck says Danny T. Billiot Jr. was sentenced to six months in jail and... more »

• 3 suspects in St. John deputy shootings make plea

  August 24, 2012 2:22 PM

  EDGARD - Three of the suspects connected in the shooting of four St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff's deputies have been arraigned in state court. The parish district attorney's office says Brian Smith, Kyle Joekel and Brittney Keith entered not guilty pleas Friday. Smith and Joekel are both charged... more »

• Lavergne in Angola after pleading guilty to murders Play Video

  August 17, 2012 4:54 PM

  LAFAYETTE - Brandon Scott Lavergne arrived at Angola state prison this afternoon, beginning his life sentence for murdering Mickey Shunick and Lisa Pate. Lavergne pleaded guilty this morning to both murders in exchange for the life sentence. Prosecutors said inmates at the jail he had been booked into were... more »

• Lavergne pleads guilty to murders, said Shunick stabbed him

  August 17, 2012 11:39 AM

  LAFAYETTE - Brandon Scott Lavergne pleaded guilty this morning to charges he murdered Mickey Shunick and Lisa Pate, according to a Lafayette TV station. Lavergne pleaded guilty in exchange for life in prison, according to KATC-TV. They said he was also required by police to show them where he... more »

• Broussard pleads 'not guilty' to bribery charges

  August 3, 2012 4:03 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard and former Parish Attorney Tom Wilkinson have pleaded not guilty in connection with new bribery charges filed last week. Broussard and Wilkinson appeared Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy in an arraignment in New Orleans federal court that lasted about... more »

• N.O. rapper gets prison in firearms case

  July 18, 2012 5:26 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans rapper who pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and conspiring to obstruct justice has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Christopher Dorsey, known as "BG," also was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan to three years of supervised release following... more »

• Orleans official pleads guilty in Katrina fraud

  July 18, 2012 11:51 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans city councilman pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal criminal charge of misusing federal money intended to help a nonprofit organization after Hurricane Katrina and diverting some of it to one of his political campaigns. Jon Johnson, who is 63, faces up to 5 years... more »

• Former secretary pleads guilty to embezzling $1.9M

  June 25, 2012 12:34 PM

  AMITE - A former secretary and clek pleaded guilty today in Amite to embezzling nearly $1.9 million from a juvenile justice program. Brenda Bickford, 61, of Hammond pleaded guilty to theft and fraud charges in district court. She admitted she took the money from the Florida Parishes Juvenile Justice... more »

• 2 plead no contest in Florida A&M hazing case

  May 17, 2012 3:18 PM

  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Two defendants have pleaded no contest to lesser charges of misdemeanor hazing in the beating of a fellow Florida A&M University band member. After their pleas in Tallahassee, Aaron Golson and Sean Hobson were sentenced Thursday to 30 days in a work camp followed by 12 months... more »

• Not guilty plea entered for Jordan Jefferson

  February 9, 2012 11:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - An attorney for former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson pleaded not guilty for his client to a simple battery charge. It stems from a bar fight near LSU that happened Aug. 19. Jefferson and another football player were arrested following the fight. Jefferson was originally... more »

• Miss. woman pleads guilty to animal cruelty in EBR

  November 16, 2011 4:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A woman from Mississippi plead guilty to animal cruelty in a Baton Rouge court earlier today. Jean Norton could face up to six months in prison or a $1,000 fine for the crime. Norton is the president of Choctaw Ridge Farms, an animal rescue operation in... more »

• Daycare workers sentenced in child's death

  November 10, 2011 11:44 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge judge sentenced two daycare workers today after they pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for the death of a child in their care back in 2009. Kyandrea Thomas and Michelle Veals were both given a five-year suspended sentence with five years probation as part... more »

• Sentencing delayed for man tied to LSU student deaths

  September 27, 2011 5:35 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Sentencing was delayed today for a man who pleaded guilty to being party to the murder of two LSU graduate students in 2007. Devin Parker pleaded guilty to armed robbery and accessory to murder charges in the shooting deaths of two students from India, in exchange... more »

• BR tax preparer sentenced for fraud

  September 15, 2011 3:44 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge sentenced a Baton Rouge tax preparer today after she pleaded guilty to filing for more than $120,000 in bogus tax refunds. U. S. District Court Judge Brian Jackson gave Melissa Edwards 30 months in prison and ordered her to pay more than $56,000 in... more »

• Man tied to LSU student murders pleads guilty to lesser charges

  June 27, 2011 11:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Devin Parker pleaded guilty this morning to lesser charges in the 2007 shooting deaths of two LSU grad students from India. Parker pleaded guilty in district court today to charges of armed robbery and accessory to second-degree murder in the killing of 33-year-old Kiran Kumar Allam.... more »

• Man pleads guilty in fatal I-10 crash

  June 7, 2011 11:29 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge man has pleaded guilty to alcohol-related vehicular homicide charges in a fiery Interstate 10 crash that killed five members of a Georgia family, including a 2-year-old, in 2009. A cousin of several of the victims told state District Judge Trudy White Monday that... more »

• Former BRPD officer pleads no contest to bribery

  May 24, 2011 6:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A police officer in Baton Rouge has pleaded "no contest" to charges he took money from a local drug dealer, according to Attorney General Buddy Caldwell's office. Former BRPD Corporal Donald Bailey entered the plea to felony charges of public bribery and corrupt influencing. The... more »

• 12 plead not guilty to Medicare fraud

  April 7, 2011 11:16 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Twelve people have pleaded innocent to charges involving Medicare fraud in Baton Rouge federal court. Their pleas were entered Wednesday shortly after prosecutors announced they planned to use evidence from a separate alleged $4.2 million fraud case against five of the defendants. Named defendants in... more »

• Student appears in court on terror charge

  February 25, 2011 2:20 PM

  LUBBOCK, Texas - The lawyer for a college student accused of plotting to blow up key U.S. targets says his client will plead not guilty. In a statement, attorney Rod Hobson says in America, "everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence" and a "fair trial." Khalid Ali-M... more »

• Teen pleads not guilty in Marque Ann murder

  February 10, 2011 2:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE – A Baton Rouge teen pleaded “not guilty” this morning to shooting and killing a man on Marque Ann Drive this past fall. Charles McElveen, 17, was arraigned this morning after a grand jury indicted him Wednesday for second-degree murder in the murder of 22-year-old Christopher Guillory. Guillory... more »

• Bandidos plead guilty to lesser charges in shooting

  February 9, 2011 4:59 PM

  GONZALES – Four members of the Bandido motorcycle gang pleaded guilty today to lesser changes in a shooting that took place last year outside an Ascension Parish bar. Joe Flores pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter and two counts of second-degree battery today, according to court documents. As part of his... more »

• Man pleads guilty to daughter's death

  January 22, 2011 2:57 PM

  MINDEN, La.- A Webster Parish father has admitted causing the death of his 2-month-old daughter almost two years ago. James Brewer, 24, of Doyline, on Friday pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder in a plea arrangement reached with the district attorney's office. A Webster grand jury indicted him in... more »

• Jan Waters receives 20-year sentence for manslaughter

  December 16, 2010 10:31 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A district judge today sentenced Jan Waters, who was convicted of killing her wealthy ex-husband, to twenty years in prison with credit for time served. Waters had pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2004 shooting death of Alan Waters, and the sentence was part of that... more »

• Louisiana man pleads guilty in storm aid fraud

  December 3, 2010 11:59 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A Ponchatoula man has pleaded guilty to defrauding the American Red Cross of more than $13,000 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Federal prosecutors say 44-year-old Juan Owens pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in New Orleans after being charged with one count of... more »

• 2 plead not guilty in pizza delivery man's death

  November 16, 2010 7:35 AM

  LAFAYETTE - Two men have pleaded not guilty in the stabbing death of 51-year-old Timothy Falgout. Falgout, who was delivering pizza in Youngsville, was found dead next to his vehicle in front of a customer's home. Falgout's wallet was missing and officials have cited robbery as the motive. Aaron Orlando... more »

• Guilty plea entered in La. trooper's shooting

  November 16, 2010 6:32 AM

  ST. MARTINVILLE - A Baton Rouge man has pleaded guilty to an attempted manslaughter charge in the 2007 shooting of a state trooper during a traffic stop in St. Martin Parish. Tyrone Mack was accused of shooting Trooper Frank Garcia in the hip with Garcia's gun after the trooper stopped... more »

• Former assistant DA in Lafayette pleads guilty

  November 11, 2010 5:39 AM

  LAFAYETTE - A former Lafayette Parish assistant district attorney has pleaded guilty to not paying about $85,000 in taxes. Joseph Floyd Johnson was accused of not filing a federal income tax return in 2003 and hiding his income and assets. Johnson also did not file federal taxes for the years... more »

• La. man pleads guilty in quadruple slaying case

  November 10, 2010 9:48 AM

  LAKE CHARLES - A 51-year-old man has pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder, hours after a Calcasieu Parish grand jury indicted him on the charges. State District Judge Kent Savoie sentenced Lee Roy Williams on Tuesday to four consecutive life sentences, a term agreed to by prosecutors and... more »

• Football coach pleads not guilty in fatal crash

  November 9, 2010 7:37 AM

  JENNINGS - Ville Plate High School head coach Roy Serie has pleaded innocent to charges stemming from a deadly head-on crash that killed his wife and another woman near Fenton in May. Officials said Serie was arrested in August after toxicology results indicated that he had illegal drugs in his... more »

• Quebedeaux changes plea; says he's guilty as charged

  November 8, 2010 5:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A man who originally pleaded not guilty to hitting and killing three people in a 2009 drunken driving accident has changed his mind. Derek Quebedeaux pleaded guilty Monday morning to all charges against him and said he takes responsibility for the crash. During the 20-minute hearing, Quebedeaux... more »

• Man sentenced to 25 years in juvenile rape case

  November 8, 2010 3:17 PM

  LIVINGSTON – A man accused of raping a young relative in Livingston Parish pleaded guilty today to lesser charges. Anthony Lacassin pleaded guilty to charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile under the age of 13; he had originally been arrested in 2007 in suspicion of aggravated rape. Lacassin was... more »

• Man pleads guilty in crash that killed police dog

  November 6, 2010 3:45 PM

  A 23-year-old man who admitted being under the influence of alcohol when he broadsided a Baton Rouge police patrol car in October 2009, seriously injuring Lt. Robert "Bobby Glaser Sr. and killing his police dog Philos, was put on probation for four years. After Jesse Farris was sentenced on... more »

• La. officer pleads guilty to drug charges

  November 5, 2010 6:24 AM

  LAKE CHARLES - A Leesville police officer has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges. Charlie Lopez was charged with distribution of hydrocodone and anabolic steroids and with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute. Lopez faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. more »

• Former La. officer enters plea in malfeasance case

  November 4, 2010 6:24 AM

  NAPOLEONVILLE - A former Assumption Parish sheriff's evidence officer has pleaded not guilty to 337 charges of malfeasance for evidence tampering plus about 100 more criminal counts derived from drugs or weapons charges. Prosecutors accused Louis B. Lambert, who was in charge of the sheriff's evidence vault, of tampering with... more »

• Man pleads guilty in La. police shooting

  November 3, 2010 8:07 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the shooting injury last November of a Baton Rouge police officer working a private security detail. John L. Butler was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by four years of active supervised probation, after Butler pleaded guilty to aggravated... more »

• White Castle police chief, brother plead innocent

  November 3, 2010 7:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - White Castle Police Chief Mario Brown and his brother, former Mayor Maurice Brown, have pleaded innocent to federal charges that they used the influence of their offices in return for money and other things of value. Both had previously pleaded innocent, but prosecutors recently amended the indictment... more »

• La. man pleads not guilty in infant son's death

  October 28, 2010 7:56 AM

  A 38-year-old West Monroe man has pleaded not guilty in the death of his infant son. James Edward "Juicy" Clampit is charged with one count of negligent homicide. Police say the 11-month-old boy's death was attributed to a head injury. According to court documents, Clampit and his wife, Crystal, got... more »

• Woman pleads guilty to filing false tax return

  October 28, 2010 5:05 AM

  A Baton Rouge woman has pleaded guilty to federal charges that she conspired to file false claims for tax refunds. Levonne Stewart pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Stewart faces up to 32 years in prison and a $750,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux's office... more »

• Man gets 90 years for $60 robbery

  October 26, 2010 4:23 AM

  A man who rejected a 25-year plea bargain has been sentenced to 90 years in prison for robbing a 77-year-old woman in the garage of her Metairie home. Luhron Gorman was convicted of armed robbery by a jury in Gretna earlier this month. He also was found guilty of being... more »

• Jan Waters pleads guilty to manslaughter

  October 25, 2010 11:30 AM

  Six years after being accused of shooting her wealthy ex-husband Alan Waters after a dispute over money and the custody of their children, Jan Waters has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his death. Waters entered the plea this morning in downtown Baton Rouge before jury selection was to begin... more »

• New Orleans man pleads to manslaughter in 4 deaths

  October 5, 2010 3:56 PM

  A plea deal has ended the case of a 2006 shooting rampage in a New Orleans neighborhood that left four people dead. Prosecutors on Tuesday said 23-year-old Raymond Amison has agreed to serve 10 years for the July 28, 2006 slayings of Kadeem and Kareem Stephens, both 16, their 21-year-old... more »

• Two plead guilty in Baton Rouge-area medical fraud

  October 4, 2010 4:48 PM

  Two people have pleaded guilty in federal court to scheming money out of Medicare through prescriptions for unnecessary medical equipment. Federal prosecutors said medical doctor Dahlia Kirkpatrick and Emmanuel Komandu, owner of the Baker-based Alpha Medical Solutions, Inc., both pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit health... more »

• Man pleads guilty to 2009 beating death

  September 28, 2010 7:55 AM

  A 27-year-old Lake Charles man has pleaded guilty to beating another man to death in 2009. Phillips Cooks faces up to 40 years in prison on a charge of manslaughter in the death of 58-year-old Robert Cannon. Cooks was originally booked with second-degree murder, but grand jurors instead indicted him... more »

• Man pleads guilty to sex chat with teens

  September 28, 2010 6:49 AM

  Prosecutors say 21-year-old Daniel James Broussard has pleaded guilty in federal court to having used the Internet and his cell phone to have sexual chats with four teenage girls from the Lafayette area. As part of a plea deal, Broussard pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to coerce a... more »

• Ex-sheriff pleads guilty to Clean Water violation

  September 23, 2010 5:32 AM

  Former Iberia Parish sheriff Sidney Hebert has pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act by negligently operating a water treatment facility. Hebert was part-owner and president of Environmental Compliance Solutions LLC when state regulators inspected a company facility in 2009 and found wastewater bypassing the filtration system and flowing... more »

• Plea agreement could be reached in drunk driving case

  September 22, 2010 5:51 PM

  A plea agreement could be reached surrounding a drunk driving case in Hammond. Derek Quebedeaux is accused of plowing into a group of people last year. Three people died, and two more were severely injured. He didn't have anything to say as he walked into court Wednesday. Attorneys... more »

• Feds: Ex-airport director, wife back out of plea deal

  September 13, 2010 5:27 PM

  The former director of aviation at New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport and his wife have backed out of a plea agreement to resolve charges they tried to profit from a bogus insurance claim after Hurricane Katrina. Sean Hunter and his wife, Shauna, were expected to enter guilty pleas Wednesday,... more »

• Clemens pleads not guilty to charge of lying

  August 30, 2010 1:09 PM

  Baseball great Roger Clemens has entered a not guilty plea to charges of lying to Congress about whether he used steroids or human growth hormone. Clemens entered his plea Monday in U.S. District Court. The arraignment happened a few blocks away from where the retired pitcher swore under... more »

• Man pleads guilty to ID theft

  August 18, 2010 6:47 AM

  A man alleged to have stolen $150,000 while using the credit information of at least 30 current or retired Baton Rouge police officers has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Alton K. Davis, of Baton Rouge, admitted to crimes that would limit his prison term to seven years or less.... more »

• Slaying suspect pleads guilty to manslaughter

  August 18, 2010 6:07 AM

  A 19-year-old man accused of killing an Alexandria resident last year has pleaded guilty to manslaughter before his trial was scheduled to begin. Launey Johnson was facing a second-degree murder charge and two counts of attempted second-degree murder before prosecutors accepted a plea on the lesser charge. Johnson was sentenced... more »

• Man pleads guilty in 2007 fatal club shooting

  August 13, 2010 5:56 AM

  A 39-year-old man will be sentenced in September after pleading guilty to manslaughter in a fatal 2007 shooting outside a Baton Rouge nightclub. Patrick Ovide of Baton Rouge was charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 18, 2007, shooting death of 29-year-old Randy Wilson of Baton Rouge. Manslaughter is punishable... more »

• La. man pleads guilty in video game probe

  August 12, 2010 5:25 AM

  A Thibodaux man accused of illegally modifying a video game console and selling a pirated video game to undercover investigators has pleaded guilty to violating a federal copyright law. Reno Jean Daret IV faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $500,000 fine following his guilty plea... more »

• Sixth worker pleads in fraud probe

  August 11, 2010 8:46 AM

  A sixth person has pleaded guilty in the federal government's ongoing investigation into disaster food stamp fraud. Dorothy Reedom, who had worked for the Department of Social Services' Office of Family Support in St. Mary Parish, pleaded guilty Monday to theft of public money, property or records. Reedom is one... more »

• Baton Rouge man pleads guilty in infant death

  August 6, 2010 10:39 AM

  A Baton Rouge man who was accused of shaking his 8 week-old son to death in 2006 has pleaded guilty to charges of negligent homicide. Under the plea deal, the Judge placed Derwin Oubre on supervised probation for five years. more »

• La. man pleads guilty to drug, gun charges

  June 29, 2010 6:36 AM

  A Louisiana man accused of setting a booby trap inside his home to protect his illegal drug production has pleaded guilty to federal drug and gun charges. Forty-five-year-old William E. Quave, of Albany, faces up to life in prison. He pleaded guilty Monday to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute... more »

• Ex-pharmacist gets prison for prescription scam

  June 25, 2010 5:41 AM

  A former pharmacist who pleaded guilty to filling fraudulent prescriptions for an illegal Internet drug company has been sentenced to 15 months in prison. Fifty-six--year-old Paul Williams owned the Grand Couteau Prescription Shoppe in his hometown, Grand Couteau. Federal prosecutors said a Panamanian company paid Williams more than $881,000 to... more »

• Woman pleads guilty to fraud in disaster aid case

  June 24, 2010 6:35 AM

  A 33-year-old Tickfaw woman has pleaded guilty to a one-count bill of information charging her with mail fraud linked to aid she received after the 2005 hurricanes. Shari Wheeler entered the plea and admitted to applying for American Red Cross aid 13 times getting $10,995. Wheeler faces up to 20... more »

• Mother admits role in death of son

  June 22, 2010 8:46 AM

  Holly Brewer, whose 18-month-old son died after being beaten by her boyfriend last year, has pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to second-degree cruelty to a juvenile. Brewer was arrested after her son, John Thomas Anthony Brewer, died after suffering severe head trauma and bruising in the beating. Jeffrey... more »

• Ex-school board member pleads guilty to sex crime

  June 22, 2010 7:55 AM

  A former Ouachita Parish School Board member has pleaded guilty in Shreveport to indecent behavior with a juvenile. John Phillip Odom pleaded guilty Monday, and faces up to seven years in jail. The judge will set a sentencing date after a pre-sentencing investigation. He admitted having numerous explicit conversations over... more »

• Man pleads guilty in Internet threat

  June 22, 2010 6:39 AM

  A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty in Baton Rouge federal court to one count of using the Internet to threaten a Texas man in a dispute over $260,000. Allen S. Rousseau of Denham Springs admitted that he sent an e-mail to Mike Parker of League City, Texas, telling him to... more »

• Health care worker sentenced in Medicaid fraud

  June 11, 2010 5:34 AM

  A New Orleans man has been sentenced to four months in prison following his guilty plea to health care fraud. Taurus Robinson pleaded guilty in February to creating false time sheets and daily schedules for personal care services for two years as part of his work with A New Beginning... more »

• Man to be arraigned on child rape charge

  June 9, 2010 6:39 AM

  A man indicted for aggravated rape of a child is scheduled to enter a plea in an Avoyelles Parish court on June 22. Russell Gagnard was charged with aggravated rape in connection with a 2009 incident in which he reportedly engaged in oral sex with a girl under the age... more »

• Ex-officer expected to plead in bridge shootings

  June 4, 2010 5:20 AM

  A former New Orleans police officer, charged with helping cover up the deadly shootings of unarmed residents on the Danzinger Bridge after Hurricane Katrina, is expected to plead guilty to two federal charges. Ignatius Hills was charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and misprision of felony under a bill of... more »

• Woman pleads guilty to defrauding Red Cross

  May 27, 2010 5:31 AM

  A woman from Hammond has pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the American Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina Keyona Dalton admitted that on four occasions between Sept. 16, 2005 and Oct. 6, 2005, she applied for and received disaster assistance from the Red Cross, each time representing that she... more »

• Two plead guilty to "gross littering"

  May 18, 2010 10:59 AM

  A man from DeRidder, and another from Texas both admitted to dumping waste from a construction site at a house near DeRidder last year. Ronald Shelby, Jr. and Andre Sweet pleaded guilty to gross littering and trespassing last week. A contractor who initially hired them to get rid of... more »

• Man gets 50 years in killing

  May 18, 2010 6:22 AM

  A 19-year-old man who shot and killed a Lafayette Burger King manager in 2008 over $5 has been sentenced to 50 years in jail. Edward Zeno pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter and theft of a vehicle that was used in the shooting. The plea agreement reduced the charge from second-degree... more »

• Ex-state worker pleads guilty

  May 12, 2010 6:35 AM

  A former state social service worker has pleaded guilty in connection with a federal food stamp fraud investigation that has resulted in charges against 13 people. Andrea Broussard admitted to getting $345 in federal disaster assistance in 2005 after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She once worked for the state Department... more »

• Business owner pleads guilty to illegal disposal

  May 7, 2010 6:15 AM

  The former owner of Lake Charles-based Chrome Doctor and Chrome Technology has pleaded guilty in state court to illegally disposing of hazardous waste. Robert Beam was ordered to pay more than $72,000 in fines, restitution and court costs. He also was placed on probation for five years and ordered to... more »

• Man pleads guilty to sex with minors

  May 4, 2010 7:38 AM

  A St. Helena Parish man has pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual acts with two children over a six- to seven-year period in Ascension Parish. Charles McCoy of Amite also faces nine more criminal counts involving child pornography or improper behavior with young girls in St. Helena... more »

• Man pleads no contest in fatal crash

  April 13, 2010 6:59 AM

  Darryl E. Whittington has pleaded no contest to felony hit-and-run driving in the June 2008 death of a woman who was hit by a vehicle near the entrance to the River Bend nuclear power plant. Family members of the victim, Angela Davis Guins, will be allowed to testify at the... more »