State auditors descend on TPSO

State auditors are taking the first steps toward determining whether laws were violated during the tenure of former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois.

Members of Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera’s staff were checking documents last week at the office now headed by Sheriff Jerry Larpenter and, in some cases, were making copies.

A private audit commissioned by Larpenter after he assumed office found fault with a variety of practices during Bourgeois’ single four-year term. That report was turned over to Purpera at Larpenter’s request.

The mere fact that Purpera is examining the books and other records does not mean that any crimes have been committed. But if Purpera determines laws were violated, that information would be turned over to federal or state prosecutors, who would then decide if charges should be filed.

Bourgeois has consistently maintained that there are no violations of law relating to his time of service.

Allen Brown, head of the Legislative Auditor’s investigative division, said he could not confirm that staff was on-site at the sheriff’s office. But sources present as auditors did their work said investigators made specific requests for documents and in some cases specific information and recollections.

Among them, according to the source, were:

• Paperwork relating to a $300,000 boat purchased by Bourgeois. The former sheriff said it was to be used for offshore water patrol work in the event of certain emergencies, and for cooperative work with federal agencies. The boat, Bourgeois said, was paid for with donations from local oil service companies.

• Documentation of vacation pay drawn by Bourgeois on his behalf as he prepared to leave office.

• Documentation of money paid to a parish official as a consultant during the time of Hurricane Gustav in 2009.

• Documentation of alleged financial discrepancies mentioned in the initial report, including payroll records relating to deputies who appeared in a television series called “Cajun Justice.” The initial audit suggested that deputies were improperly drawing pay from the sheriff’s office while appearing in the series and being compensated.

Auditors were told, according to department sources, that logs of employee time during the first round of “Cajun Justice” taping or filming could not be located. That’s important because of the compensation allegations.

In addition, auditors attempted to locate a cell phone used by Bourgeois during his tenure but which he had said was lost. There was no indication of what the auditors specifically wished to see on the cell phone.

Bourgeois has maintained that nothing improper was done during his tenure.

Larpenter did not wish to comment extensively on the developments.

“That’s part of the procedure,” the sheriff said, when asked about the presence of the auditors. “If there is anything out of the ordinary it is the responsibility of the auditors to forward anything that needs to be looked at further. If the auditors see anything that needs to be looked at further they turn it over to Attorney General or the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

Brown said that when an investigative audit is performed, his staff determines if any laws have been violated and, if so, forwards their report – which is a public document – to either state or federal prosecutors.

He also said answers to those questions won’t appear anytime soon.

“This is going to be a long, drawn-out process,” Brown said.

Larpenter, now completing six months in office following his most recent election, said his staff is cooperating fully and that things are running smoothly.

“Everything is coming along and we are getting this office back in shape,” said Larpenter, who has criticized how Bourgeois ran the department. “We are a lean, mean, productive machine. We want to give this office back to the people, to make sure it is the peoples’ office, and not just for a select few.”