PLAQUEMINE- Police Chief Kenny Payne is under criminal investigation tied to allegations he offered to drop someone's criminal charges in exchange for a sexual favor, sources tell the WBRZ Investigative Unit.

Two months ago, WBRZ began requesting information pertaining to this case from the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.

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At the time, the AG's office said, "Our office has found records responsive to your request. These records are exempt from disclosure as records pertaining to pending or anticipated criminal litigation. La. R.S. 44:3(A)(1)."

Sources said when a criminal complaint was made about the situation that happened in the spring of 2022, Payne erased his cell phone. Multiple sources confirmed to WBRZ that Payne is now under investigation for obstruction of justice.

Calls to Payne were not returned for much of the day, which is very unusual. Late Thursday afternoon, Payne returned our calls saying the allegations against him are false and he plans to fight them vigorously. Payne said he has a meeting with the attorney general's office next week and promised to sit down with WBRZ.

Despite the AG's office confirming they were investigating the claims over the summer, a spokesman responded to WBRZ with the following: "We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation."

Payne has been the police chief in Plaquemine since 2015. Prior to that he served for more than a decade as the second-in-command at the police department. Payne started working there in 1995.

Sources told WBRZ that Payne has faced similar allegations from other women in the past, but those accusations apparently went nowhere.