Morgan City 911 director indicted for alleged food stamp fraud

St. Mary Parish’s 911 Director Marie Anderson is still on the job, even though the state Department of Social Services Fraud and Recovery Section reported Monday that she was indicted for alleged disaster food stamp fraud.

Duval Arthur, the parish’s director of Homeland Security, said he learned of the indictment via a news report. “I called her Monday afternoon and she was unaware of the charges as well,” he said in a phone interview. “Frankly, no one knows what she is being charged with.”

Anderson reports to Arthur, who oversees the 911 board. “We’ll be meeting this week, and I guess that will be the topic. But for now, nothing has changed with her job,” he said.

A news release issued by DSS Monday said indictments against Anderson and 10 St. Mary Parish DSS Office of Family Support employees after a year-long investigation. According to the release, “the charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

DSS spokesman Trey Williams, who issued the release, refused to offer comment on the indictments. He said the investigation is ongoing and more indictments are expected.

According to the release, St. Mary Parish Sheriff David Naquin and Franklin City Police Chief Sabria McGuire aided with the investigation.

Contacted Monday afternoon, McGuire told the Tri-Parish Times, “I don’t talk to anyone.”

Arthur said he is just speechless at this point. “We just don’t know anything,” he said. “I have to tell you that Marie was working out great for us. She is a good leader.”

According to the release, a 57-count indictment that alleges that Anderson and the others are suspected of fraud involving food stamps that were issued during hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. The theft totals more than $50,000.

The release states that the indictments were handed down in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, on Nov. 10.

Also indicted, according to the release, were former St. Mary Parish OFS parish manager Teresa Hawkins and former staffers Angela Gray, Laura Wells and Harriet Williams. Current St. Mary OFS employees Andrea Broussard, Dorothy Reedom, Tawana Carson, Barbara Sonia and parish Department of Health and Hospitals area manager Barbara Sanders.

“Our administration has zero tolerance for employee fraud and malfeasance,” Department of Social Services Secretary Kristy Nichols said in the release. “Maintaining the integrity of our public assistance programs is critical to our mission to provide services for Louisiana residents while serving as responsible stewards of public funds. It is our policy to aggressively investigate allegations of fraud with respect to our employees and recipients with the goal of rooting out such activity to ensure that taxpayer’s funds are reserved for those who are truly in need.”

Counts lodged against Anderson and the others include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, embezzlement of public funds, and lying to a federal agent, according to the release.

Williams’ release said the criminal activity ranged from applying for assistance for deceased or non-existent people, receiving assistance for people who lived out of state and willfully disregarding applicants’ household income and liquid assets, which are major criteria used to determine eligibility.

St. Mary Parish’s 911 Director Marie Anderson