U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that TRACIE MEDUS, age 39, a New Orleans Police Department police officer, was charged yesterday with theft of government funds. According to the New Orleans Police Department, MEDUS has been placed on unpaid emergency suspension pending the outcome of this case.

According to the Bill of Information, from in or about July 2009 to in or about March 2011, MEDUS stole $158,700 from the Louisiana Road Home’s Small Rental Property Program. MEDUS obtained the funds in the form of an award funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

If convicted, MEDUS faces up to ten years’ incarceration and a fine of up to twice the theft amount.

U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that a Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Department of Housing and Urban Development—Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and thanked the New Orleans Police Department’s Public Integrity Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.