MISUSE OF CITIZENS SERVICE FUND DONATIONS, MANDEVILLE, LOUISIANA
A 2007 MCC referral to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor uncovered the Mandeville Police Department’s abuse of the Citizens Service Fund (better known as “Toys for Tots”). The fund was used to purchase gifts for public employees including City Council members, police department employees, and Mayor Eddie Price. The investigation of the fund revealed that $114 and $0 was spent on toys in 2005 and 2006, respectively, while over $3,000 was spent on Wal-Mart gift cards to which many public employees were recipients. The discovery led to the reimbursement of $2,300 by Mayor Price and the creation of a nonprofit organization tasked with overseeing future expenditures and toy drives. This scandal was also a contributing factor in the resignation of Mandeville Police Chief Tom Buell.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE LIEUTENANT TERMINATED, CONVICTED
An informant contacted the MCC in May of 2006 reporting that no criminal action was being taken in response to domestic violence perpetrated by then Lieutenant Wayne Schaeffer of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. Additional victims came forward to the MCC and Lieutenant Schaeffer was terminated and then indicted by a grand jury for numerous charges including sexual battery and aggravated rape. In May of 2009, Schaeffer pled guilty to second degree battery and malfeasance in office.