Deputy Chief Troy Lawrence and officers Jesse Barcelona and Todd Thomas surrendered Thursday afternoon. The WBRZ Investigative Unit reported earlier this week that each had been placed on administrative leave.

The fourth officer – Doug Chutz, was not yet in custody and had not been suspended.

Sources told WBRZ News 2 that the investigation began on Aug. 30, 2023, when a whistleblower spoke up about the incident three years earlier. It allegedly involved a suspect who was strip searched and tased on Plank Road.

When one of the Baton Rouge Police officers used his Taser, it activated his body worn camera. During the encounter, the suspect was not compliant, and one of the officers allegedly struck the suspect.

The body camera was reviewed, the Investigative Unit has learned, and that officer was instructed to get rid of it. A document was fabricated saying it was lost, according to sources.

Sources also said Deputy Chief Lawrence signed off on the document that reported that the body camera had been lost -- though it wasn't.

Lawrence, Barcelona, and Thomas were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Thursday afternoon. All have bonds set at $30,000.

Chutz is expected to be booked at a later date. Sources said he is out of town. His bond was set at $15,000.

Charges against Lawrence include Malfeasance, Obstruction, Theft and Principal to Battery.

Barcelona is charged with Principal to Theft and Obstruction and Malfeasance.

Thomas is charged with Simple Battery, Theft and Malfeasance and Obstruction.

Chutz is charged with Malfeasance.

Lawrence's son, who is also an officer, was arrested last week for unrelated concerns.

The newly disclosed incident is not related to the Brave Cave — an alleged torture warehouse that came to light a month ago when lawyer Ryan Thompson filed a lawsuit alleging his client's civil rights were violated.

Following the filing of that lawsuit, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul asked the FBI to assist in the investigation. In a very rare move Friday, the FBI confirmed it is investigating, along with the federal civil rights division.

The FBI typically shies away from confirming the existence of any investigation — usually saying they cannot confirm or deny the existence of one.

Paul said Wednesday night that a news conference would be scheduled Friday to talk about police accountability efforts. That news conference is set for 10 a.m.

It came less than 12 hours after a WBRZ Investigative Unit report highlighting a recommendation by the Commission to suspend Guidroz for 180 days without pay. The Commission referenced the WBRZ Investigative Unit stories in their findings.

Randy Guidroz collected more than $500,000 over a 12-year span and there was no proof that he did any work.

In addition to being a full-time "intelligence officer" for the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office, the WBRZ Investigative Unit also found Guidroz was an elected official. He was a Justice of the Peace in the parish.

The state's dual office holding laws say Guidroz should have never been allowed to do both jobs.

Louisiana Revised Statute 42:63 states, "No person holding an elective office in the government of this state shall at the same time hold another elective office, a full-time appointive office, or employment in the government of this state or in the government of a political subdivision thereof."

Guidroz resigned Tuesday as the WBRZ Investigative Unit was looking into allegations of even more impropriety.

Videos obtained by WBRZ showed Guidroz at the campaign building of La. State Representative Jeremy Lacombe. Lacombe told WBRZ on the phone they are friends, and said he had never hired him.

Campaign finance reports that Lacombe filed with the State Ethics Board show on two different occasions Lacombe hired Guidroz for a catering event. A third miscellaneous payment to him for $700 was not noted with a reason. Lacombe said it was also for catering, but did not have a reason why nothing was noted next to that payment.

NEW ORLEANS - Years after the WBRZ Investigative Unit exposed a ghost employee who was left on the payroll despite no record of doing any work, the Louisiana State Supreme Court heard a recommendation this month from the Judiciary Commission to suspend him.

The justices will make a determination and release their findings at a later date.

Randy Guidroz collected more than $500,000 over a 12-year span and there was no proof that he did any work.

In addition to being a full-time "intelligence officer" for the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office, the WBRZ Investigative Unit also found Guidroz is an elected official. He is a Justice of the Peace in the parish.

The state's dual office holding laws may pose big problems.

Louisiana Revised Statute 42:63 states, "No person holding an elective office in the government of this state shall at the same time hold another elective office, a full-time appointive office, or employment in the government of this state or in the government of a political subdivision thereof."

Questions are being raised about whether Guidroz broke the law. An Attorney General Opinion issued in 1991 addresses whether a justice of the peace can work as a full-time deputy sheriff.

"Holding a full-time position as deputy sheriff would be prohibited by RS 42:63," the opinion reads.

The Louisiana Judiciary Commission determined "...by acting as an intelligence officer tasked with covertly gathering information on the very same constituents whom he had been elected to serve as a Justice of the Peace, Justice of the Peace Guidroz blurred the line between the judiciary and law enforcement and created an ethically impermissible appearance of impropriety and partiality."

The Commission also noted there were issues with his truthfulness.

"JP Guidroz failed to disclose his active employment with the sheriff's office when directly asked, under oath at a sworn statement, where he was employed. While he later acknowledged the employment following media reports exposing it, he could not provide cogent testimony as to why he believed he did not previously have to disclose it to the commission."

The Commission recommended that Guidroz pay a nearly $1,600 fine for costs the commission incurred by doing this investigation. It also recommended a 180 day unpaid suspension.

Justices heard the recommendations on Sept. 7, 2023. Their decision will be rendered at a later date.

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Brandon Williams — the chairman of the Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service Board — was arrested this week, accused of contractor fraud. Investigators said he took $600,000 from the victim, but left him high and dry. That victim had to hire another contractor to come in and complete the job.

That victim identified himself as Scott Campbell. Campbell said even though they have had to hire other contractors to do the work that Williams should have done, he is holding on to a lien waiver that is preventing them from closing on the property.

Campbell said they contracted with Williams to build their dream home in December 2021. The house was supposed to take a year to build. Today it sits in various states of disrepair with numerous things that have been left unfinished.

"We had no idea as the project went along that the money was not going to the other contractors or being spent where it should," Campbell said. "The project was moving slow as long as it inched along. I was willing to keep dumping more money into the project."

Campbell said he became suspicious after continuing to pay Williams, but contractors stopped showing up for work.

"The ongoing thing is, 'they will be there tomorrow,'" Campbell said. "'They will be there tomorrow.' When it comes to Thursday or Friday, 'they will be there Monday.' And it starts all over again."

Campbell said Williams left his house with missing molding. They had to hire a plumber and electrician to redo work that should have been completed correctly, but they found out that unlicensed contractors had been doing the work.

"We asked Brandon to show us where the money went and he refused," Campbell said. "He refused to show us where the money went."

Williams was first nominated to the board by LSU in 2019. He was removed from the board after a discrepancy was discovered with his address, but he was placed back on the board by the metro council.

Williams is also facing a separate felony theft arrest that he's scheduled to go to trial for in December.

When reached by phone this week, Williams said he has no intention of stepping down from the two boards that he serves on. In addition to the Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service Board, he also serves on the Louisiana Housing Corporation Board.

Williams is currently locked in a legal battle with city-parish attorneys, who argue he's illegally holding multiple seats in public office. 

"That's his ego," Campbell said. "From what I gather, he's very narcissistic. I know he's not going to step down or admit to any wrongdoing. That's just who Brandon is."

WBRZ reached out to Williams' lawyer. He declined to comment.

Williams posted a $10,000 bond and was released.