Sandra Degeyter, Bribery Conspiracy, Louisiana 2012

LAFAYETTE, La - Former Acadiana Outreach Center Worker Pleads Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy

Sandra Degeyter, 61, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty to a one-count Bill of Information charging her with conspiracy to commit bribery.

This plea is related to the bribery investigation of former employees of the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office who accepted bribes in return for their participation in the facilitation of "immediate 894 pleas," a procedure under the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 894.

According to court documents, Degeyter worked as a case manager for Acadiana Outreach from March 2008 to October 2009. During this time, she conspired to provide false and fraudulent Acadiana Outreach community service certificates to an unnamed, uncharged co-conspirator in exchange for money.

The co-conspirator paid Degeyter cash, $100 per certificate, and also made in-kind contributions to Acadiana Outreach for the false certificates. Degeyter admitted producing more than 50 false certificates between the spring of 2008 and October 2009.

After Degeyter left Acadiana Outreach in October of 2009, she asked Elaine Crump, who was still employed as a case manager at Acadiana Outreach, to assist her with continuing the fraudulent scheme. Crump previously pleaded guilty on February 5, 2013, to misprision of a felony.

Degeyter faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both with up to three years of supervised release for the conspiracy count.

U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley stated, "The defendant's actions were motivated by greed. Her criminal activity has not only affected the justice system, but it has tarnished the good work of her former employer. Those involved in this case did not seem to consider the far-reaching damage that their actions would have on our community and the agencies that serve it."

The FBI conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Richard Willis are prosecuting the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/former-acadiana-outreach-center-worker-pleads-guilty-bribery-conspiracy-district