Sheriff Sentenced for Conspiracy and Bribery

A former Louisiana sheriff has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bribery.

Irvin F. Hingle, 61, was the elected Sheriff of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, from approximately 1992 through 2011. As the Sheriff, Hingle was the chief law enforcement officer for Plaquemines Parish.

In 2007, the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office entered into a contract with Benetech, LLC (Benetech) to provide services relating to recovery from damages due to previous and future natural disasters. In early- to mid- 2008, on two separate occasions, Hingle, as the Sheriff, approved Benetech’s invoices and issued checks to Benetech in connection with work purportedly done under the 2007 contract.

Within weeks of Hingle’s approvals, W. Aaron Bennett, the owner of Benetech, paid Hingle $10,000 in cash, on two separate occasions, intending to influence him in connection with the contract between Benetech and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Additionally, as the elected Sheriff, Hingle was required to file annual campaign reports with the Louisiana Board of Ethics in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and to certify, among other things, information relating to campaign contributions and expenditures. In 2008, Hingle solicited campaign contributions from contributors and instead of expending those funds for campaign-related activities, Hingle expended them for personal use, in violation of Louisiana campaign finance laws.

The case was investigated by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Chester and Eileen Gleason. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Hingle will be placed on two years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, pay a $10,000 fine and a $100.00 special assessment.

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