Employee of Ball Police Department Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Property
Charge is a Result of False Statements Made to FEMA
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 18, 2011 |
ALEXANDRIA, LA—United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that JUDY MARIE CROWE, an employee of the police department in Ball, Louisiana, entered a guilty plea today to a bill of information charging her with theft of government property in connection with her involvement in a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Association (“FEMA”) following Hurricane Gustav.
Crowe, age 58, admitted at the guilty plea hearing today before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell that she facilitated in the submission of false and fictitious statements to FEMA in an application for benefits to be paid by FEMA in connection with the Presidential Disaster Declaration for the state of Louisiana in September 2008, for Hurricane Gustav. Crowe admitted to facilitating the inflation of overtime hours for Ball Police Department personnel and the usage of police vehicles in connection with the scheme to receive government funds from FEMA.
Crowe faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. Crowe is on bond pending her sentencing hearing, which is set for April 25, 2011.
The case was investigated by Special Agent Randy Deaton of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.