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July 29, 2014
An interpreter who worked extensively in the Terrebonne and Lafourche parish court systems faces both state and federal charges in connection with the alleged extortion of money from the family of a defendant on whose behalf she provided services.
Trina Marie Bourg, 45, was arrested as the result of a joint investigation by Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to records related to her case.
The state charges are being reviewed by Terrebonne District Attorney Joe Waitz Jr.’s staff.
She was booked at the Terrebonne Parish jail July 24 for theft, malfeasance in office, abuse of office and extortion.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. announced that one day before that Bourg was arrested on a federal complaint for solicitation of bribes.
According to court records the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations received information that Bourg, a Spanish language interpreter, “was soliciting payments from individuals who were illegally present in the United States.”
“Bourg represented to these individuals that she would use the money she received to bribe United States Immigration Officials in order to remove the immigration detainers and/or federal immigration charges from their criminal and/or administrative cases,” a statement from Polite reads.
According to the federal complaints, in 2011 and again this year, Bourg solicited two bribes totaling $4,000 from the family of a man facing charges for whom she did interpretation work.
She allegedly received $3,500 from the man’s family, based on her representation “that she would use the money to influence federal immigration officials.”
The investigation began on May 8, according to court records.
State Police were informed of the investigation and bases the Louisiana charges on a complaint that Bourg charged a Hispanic indigent defendant, Israel Oropeza–Monterrosas, $2,000 “to prevent the filing of federal immigration violations by a local federal agent.”
The family said they were told Bourg claimed that she could prevent federal immigration charges from being filed, and that if she was not paid the man would be sent to a federal prison someplace where this “service” would not be available.
Money, according to state records, was wired directly to a JP Morgan Chase account whose number was allegedly supplied by Bourg.
Authorities recorded phone conversations relating to the transaction.
During interviews with authorities, according to a law enforcement source, Bourg confirmed that she had told the man’s family “people don’t do favors for free and since I am not an immigration agent I cannot do that.”
The Terrebonne Indigent Defender Board made luse of Bourg’s services, but she was not an employee and did not work in their office.
Director Tony Champagne said attorneys thought Bourg had done good work – until they were made aware of the charges – and that his office is seeking a new interpreter to work regularly with them on a similar freelance basis.
In addition to providing services in courtrooms Bourg, like other interpreters, would often accompany court-appointed attorneys to parish jails for initial interviews with their clients.
Freed on bond, Bourg was contacted for comment via a Facebook private message.
She did not comment on the specific case or charges against her, but did speak to her record of service in the community.
“My work is recognized all over south louisiana for many years,” Bourg wrote. “I have nothing to hide. I have been a very respectable person in this community and continue to be. God only knows what the truth holds. And as the law states innocent until proven guilty… The real Hispanics of this community know what kind of person I am and continue to be. I stand by my reputation always.”
