LPSO detective arrested, deputy terminated

A Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office detective was arrested last week and charged with malfeasance in office because of his association with a woman accused of obstructing justice in a Houma homicide investigation, said Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Larry Weidel.

Detective Sgt. David Mosley, who had been with the sheriff’s office since 1997, was jailed at the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex and was released on a $150,000 bond pending a court hearing. His employment was terminated.

Mosley’s arrest stems from a Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office ongoing investigation into the June 2007 murder of Lamark Johnson.

In October 2007, Johnson’s live-in girlfriend Crystal Pitre was hired as a clerk at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, where she formed a relationship with Mosley, Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said. In January 2008, she was arrested for allegedly removing illegal narcotics and drug money from the Johnson murder site. Her employment was terminated that same month.

Weidel said Mosley and Lafourche Parish deputy Kim Pitre were friends with Crystal Pitre. “They communicated with Crystal Pitre relative to the case,” Weidel said. Kim Pitre, who had been an evidence custodian, subsequently resigned over an unrelated matter, Weidel said.

Larpenter stated in the release that Mosley and Crystal Pitre continued to communicate following her arrest. Mosley committed malfeasance by obtaining information about Pitre’s obstruction of justice and failing to report the information to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Weidel said.

Crystal Pitre is currently in jail.

Weidel said both Mosley and Kim Pitre had been outstanding officers. Mosley was a member of the honor guard. Pitre had received a distinguished service award for undertaking a rescue.