Political Illusions of the Cajun Mafia

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A6 AMERICAN PRESS SuNdAy, JuNE 29, 2014
ReVOlVINg
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the early 2000s. He was convicted
of a felony in Calcasieu
in 2011, but avoided jail time
through a plea deal.
While bonds set for Harris
have varied — some high,
some low — he’s been able
to meet them, and has often
been able to do so quickly.
He bonded out the day of his
arrest 12 times, according to
CCC records.
Harris is now being held
in the CCC on $13.15 million
bond, $12.5 million of that set
by Judge David Ritchie when
Harris was arrested in April.
His previous longest stay in
a Calcasieu jail after an arrest
was 17 nights — on a $20,500
bond set by former Judge
Wilford Carter, according to
information provided by CCC.
In September 2010, he
spent 13 nights in jail before
meeting a $50,000 bond set by
Carter. His highest bond was
set by Judge Mike Canaday
— $105,000 on drug possession
charges. He was arrested
March 29, 2010, and met bail
the next day.
Carter, who set bond 11
times for Harris, said previous
arrests are not a factor to
be considered in setting bond.
The former judge, who said he
does not remember the specifics
of Harris’ cases, set bonds
ranging from $1,000 on drug
charges in September 2012 to
$50,000 on a drug charge in
September 2010.
“I would not consider an
arrest, because I would be
violating the law and presumption
of innocence,” said
Carter, who said he would
consider whether a defendant
had charges pending.
Ted Hartman, Harris’ attorney,
has asked Judge Sharon
Wilson to reduce Harris’ $13.15
million bond. Hartman said
he believes Harris’ bond to be
unconstitutional because Harris
does not have a history of
violence.
Harris has been arrested
for domestic abuse battery and
aggravated battery, although
he has not been convicted on
those charges.
“I’ve always found him
to be a very nice person, not
somebody that the public
should be fearful of,” Hartman
said. “I think he’s a very nice
guy. He’s certainly not some
sort of violent drug dealer.”
Harris, along with 50
Operation 27 co-defendants,
was indicted Thursday. He
faces 188 charges, including
159 counts of conspiracy to
distribute cocaine.
Harris and Lecompte, who
also has a lengthy criminal
history, were distributing both
powder cocaine and crack,
authorities said.
Although few specifics
of the drug sting have been
revealed, the investigation began
June 29, 2013, according to
the initial complaint, obtained
from state police. Troopers
began buying cocaine from
Harris through a confidential
informant.
More buys were made
through another informant,
then, on Feb. 27, 2014, another
source identified 51 people “involved
in the distribution, possession
and manufacturing”
of cocaine,” the complaint
said. Marijuana and pills were
also being distributed.
When Lecompte was arrested
on south Nelson Road
on April 29, he had no drugs
on him, but did have $33,000, a
detective with the Combined
Anti-Drug Task Force, Rebecca
Reed, testified during a bond
reduction hearing. Lecompte
told authorities he was going
to use the money to buy
cocaine from the Texas men
whose car he was following,
Reed said.
Harris was arrested the
same day on Country Club
Road. Fourteen one-ounce
bags of cocaine were found in
a room he booked at a hotel on
Derek Drive, Reed said.
Lecompte has been booked
into the CCC 15 times, dating
to 1992, and has been convicted
of four felonies — cocaine possession,
aggravated criminal
property damage and cocaine
distribution in Calcasieu and
robbery in Texas.
A history of arrests
Harris’ first arrest recorded
in Calcasieu Parish was on
March 1, 1998, when, at 20
years old, he was arrested
for DWI, according to CCC
records.
He was arrested again
seven days later — for cocaine
possession with intent to distribute,
illegal use of currency
and possession of drug paraphernalia
— and more arrests
followed. He was arrested six
more times over the next four
months.
In July 1998, Harris was
picked up on drug charges in
Beaumont, Texas, leading to
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a federal conviction. He was
convicted on Dec. 12, 1998,
of possession of crack with
intent to distribute, according
to Gaspard’s filing.
Harris was sentenced to
108 months in prison and five
years’ supervised probation,
according to another local
court filing.
Beginning Dec. 3, 1998,
Harris spent the next several
years at Three Rivers Correctional
Institute in Three
Rivers, Texas.
Requests to the Federal Bureau
of Prisons for exact dates
have not yet been returned,
but CCC records show Harris
was arrested in February 2006
for domestic abuse, then again
in August 2006 for carrying
an illegal weapon. According
to a news report at the time,
authorities said two handguns
and a bottle of PCP were found
in a car Harris was sitting in,
with two other men, in a motel
parking lot.
After a March 2007 arrest,
he was picked up on a federal
detainer in June 2007 and
again in June 2008. It appears
he was returned to Three Rivers
both times before completing
his federal sentence.
Harris was arrested four
times in 2009, all for drugs,
although two of those appear
to be combined. In 2010, Harris
was arrested seven times, all
on drug charges — cocaine,
marijuana, alprazolam and
hydrocodone.
On March 2, 2010, Harris
was arrested for cocaine possession
with intent to distribute
and first-offense marijuana
possession. He was arrested
again later that month, then
again in May, June, September
and December 2010.
On Jan. 24, 2011, Harris
pleaded guilty to an amended
sentence of cocaine possession
in Calcasieu’s 14th Judicial
District Court. Following prosecutors’
recommendations,
Carter sentenced Harris to a
two-year suspended sentence
and two years’ supervised
probation. He was ordered
to pay a monthly fee of $55,
a $300 fine and court costs,
and $200 to the Southwest
Louisiana Crime Lab. He was
also ordered to submit to drug
screens. As part of the plea
deal, all remaining charges
were dropped.
“Ultimately he pled out to
a felony,” Hartman, Harris’
attorney, said. “I think it’s fair
because the charges against
him were nonviolent matters.
COURT
Continued from A1
Lobby and furniture maker
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David
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He did get a felony conviction,
which impacts him down the
line — it impacts plea negotiations
in the future and impacts
his exposure to a habitual
offender bill.”
Gaspard, the assistant district
attorney who has since
taken over drug cases, said it
is not an offer that would be
extended now.
“The plea deal that he got
was inexcusable, there’s no
doubt about that,” Gaspard
said. “Operation 27 would
not have started off with him
because he would still be doing
jail time. That’s just the
bottom line.”
While Harris was pleading
guilty in court, he was still under
investigation by authorities,
Gaspard said. Two days
after the plea deal, on Jan. 26,
a search warrant for cocaine
distribution was served at
Harris’ house for an alleged
offense that happened Jan. 20.
Harris stayed in jail 17 days
before bonding out on $20,500
bond set by Carter.
Harris was arrested for
domestic abuse battery in
September 2011 — although he
wasn’t booked — and drug possession
in September 2012.
Harris absconded from
probation and parole, and
a warrant for him was issued
in January 2013, state
Department of Corrections
spokeswoman Pam Laborde
said. Arrested in June 2013 for
the probation violation and
domestic abuse battery, Harris
was released the same day
on $2,500 bond set by Carter.
Probation and parole alleged
Harris violated the terms of
his probation when he was
arrested in September 2012 for
marijuana possession, failed
to make monthly payments
and failed to report in October,
November and December 2012.
Laborde said an unsuccessful
attempt was made in
August 2013 to have Harris’
probation and parole revoked.
Harris has a history of
missing court dates, failing to
show for arraignments in 2007
and 2009 and for trial dates on
Nov. 15, 2010, and Jan. 6, 2011,
according to court records.
He faces a probation violation
from the 2011 plea deal,
expected to be heard July 23.
When he was indicted
Thursday, it became his sixth
case open with the District Attorney’s
Office.
The court has never recognized a for-profit
corporation’s religious rights under federal
law or the Constitution. But even some
supporters of the administration’s position
said they would not be surprised if the court
were to do so on Monday.
which can cost up to $1,000.
The Obama administration
says insurance coverage for
birth control is important to
women’s health and reduces
the number of unwanted pregnancies,
as well as abortions.
Manuel running for
mayor in Westlake
Lori Peterson Manuel has
announced her candidacy for
mayor of the city of Westlake.
The election is Tuesday,
Nov. 4.
Manuel has served the
residents of Westlake for
two terms as a City Council
member.
A Westlake native, she is
the daughter of Rollin and
Bernice Ellis. She and her
husband, Russ Manuel, have
five sons and six grandchildren.
Throughout her term,
she said, she has worked to
protect the interests of residents
and looked for ways to
improve the city. As a council
member she has been successful
toward both of these
goals. Some of her accomplishments:
l Introduced and led adoption
of Ordinance No. 853,
which increased the registration
fees of registered sex offenders
within the city limits.
l Authored and introduced
Ordinance No. 849,
which provided criteria and
regulatory guidelines for RV
parks. Until then, the city had
no ordinance regarding RV
parks.
l Worked with the Southwest
Louisiana delegation to
help secure $1 million in state
capital outlay funding for a
new Westlake police command
center.
l Authored and was
awarded a $250,000 Safe Route
to School grant for sidewalk
construction along Shady
Lane between Sampson Street
and Walker Drive. Grant
funds also were used to buy
traffic control equipment for
the Police Department.
l In preparation for future
natural gas sales revenue,
she testified before a state
House of Representatives
subcommittee on behalf of
Westlake. Her testimony was
instrumental in stabilizing
natural gas prices for the city,
and provided Westlake the
opportunity to sell natural
gas to large industrial volume
users.
l Authored and presented
a critical infrastructure
analysis report to Gov. Bobby
Jindal addressing the ingress
and egress needs of the city.
l Initiated a complete
The court has never recognized
a for-profit corporation’s
religious rights under federal
law or the Constitution. But
even some supporters of the
administration’s position said
they would not be surprised
if the court were to do so on
Monday, perhaps limiting the
right to corporations that are
under tight family control.
Several justices worried at
the argument in March that
such a decision would lead to
religious objections to covering
blood transfusions or vaccinations.
Prominent Washington lawyer
Paul Smith said another
important question is how
the decision would apply to
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manuel
internal review
of all policies
and procedures
for the city and
is working to
update them.
“I am
thankful and
proud for these
and other accomplishments
made during my tenure as
a City Council member. It is
an honor to serve my fellow
citizens,” she said. “However,
I feel my job is not done. We
must continue working to
make Westlake the best it
can be. I am very excited to
be a part of these endeavors
and will continue to move
forward.”
A 1978 early graduate
of Westlake High School,
Manuel attended McNeese
State University. She works
in Westlake for John H.
Carter Co. Inc. as the inside
sales manager, providing
industrial instrumentation,
valves and equipment to area
refineries.
Prior to being elected to
the council, she served 12
years as a board member
on the Ward 4 Recreation
Board. She has been an active
participant in her city and
parish government for many
years.
An avid supporter of
Westlake, she appreciates
the opportunity to help local
organizations. They include
the Westlake Senior Citizen
Center, Westlake High School,
and Operation Graduation.
Lori is a former board member
for the Oasis women’s
shelter.
“As a candidate for the
mayor of Westlake, I am
keenly aware that already our
city is being impacted significantly
with the announcement
of industrial expansions
throughout Southwest
Louisiana,” she said.
“The next mayor of Westlake
must have a vision for
our future, a strategic path
to move forward, a working
knowledge gained through
experience, and an ongoing
relationship of mutual respect
with area industries to
fully understand the opportunities
and challenges our
city will face during the next
several years.”
“laws that protect people from
discrimination, particularly
LGBT people.”
In the Hobby Lobby case,
even if the court finds such
a right exists, it still has to
weigh whether the government’s
decision to have
employee health plans pay
for birth control is important
enough to overcome the companies’
religious objections.
It is no surprise that this
high-profile case, argued three
months ago, is among the last
released.
The other unresolved case
has been hanging around
since late January, often a sign
that the outcome is especially
contentious.
Home health care workers
in Illinois want the court to
rule that public sector unions
cannot collect fees from workers
who aren’t union members.
The idea behind compulsory
fees for nonmembers
is that the union negotiates
the contract for all workers,
so they all should share in the
cost of that work.
The court has been hostile
to labor unions in recent
years. If that trend continues
Monday, the justices could
confine their ruling to home
health workers or they could
strike a big blow against
unions more generally.
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