MANDEVILLE, LA – Jeffery B. Montalbano, 58, formerly an investigator with the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, will spend the next three years on probation after admitting to deliberately misleading federal investigators. U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced the sentencing yesterday, following Montalbano’s guilty plea to a charge of making false statements, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2).
The case centers around a $20,000 payment made by a defendant – identified in court documents only as “Defendant A” – to an associate of Montalbano’s, dubbed “Person 1.” The FBI launched an investigation to determine if the money was a bribe intended to influence Montalbano’s handling of Defendant A’s criminal case. Montalbano, while employed in the domestic violence unit, held a position of authority, responsible for evidence collection, witness coordination, and trial preparation.
On January 23, 2018, Montalbano sat down with FBI agents at a field office in Mandeville. During the interview, he flatly denied any knowledge of the payments from Defendant A, claiming neither he nor Person 1 had received a dime. He also falsely stated that the FBI hadn’t previously inquired about the alleged bribe at the District Attorney’s office. This was a blatant lie, according to court records.
Federal investigators quickly proved Montalbano’s statements were false. Evidence showed Defendant A issued two $10,000 checks to Person 1 in November and December of 2013. Person 1, in turn, passed half of that money onto Montalbano. Furthermore, the FBI had, in fact, interviewed Montalbano’s colleagues back in October 2015 regarding the potential quid pro quo. Montalbano’s deception directly hindered the FBI’s ability to ascertain whether Defendant A received preferential treatment and whether Montalbano had been truthful with his superiors.
The investigation revealed Montalbano also operated a business called “JBM OIL Sales” while simultaneously working as a public servant. While the connection between the oil business and the alleged bribery remains unclear from available court documents, the timing raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. The prosecution, led by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, successfully demonstrated Montalbano’s intent to obstruct the FBI’s investigation.
U.S. Attorney Strasser commended the FBI for their work on the case. While three years of probation is the sentence, the conviction serves as a warning: lying to federal investigators – especially when it involves potential corruption within the justice system – will not be tolerated. The Grimy Times will continue to follow any further developments in this case, and any potential investigations into Defendant A or other individuals connected to this scheme.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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