Former employee of the Evangeline Parish sheriff’s office Bobbie Jo Fontenot (center) is pictured here after she entered the Evangeline Parish Courthouse Wednesday morning to turn herself into the sheriff’s office. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)
By: ELIZABETH WEST
Managing Editor
On Wednesday, the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that an employee with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Civil Department was arrested that morning around 9:30 a.m. on the charge of felony theft.
The employee accused of theft has been identified by the EPSO as Bobbi Jo Fontenot, who has been employed with the sheriff’s office since October of 2013.
Her arrest came after a two week long investigation revealed that Fontenot had been stealing from the EPSO through a check substitution scheme.
A press release from Sheriff Eddie Soileau stated that “through the efforts of Josh Fontenot, CPA (Evangeline Parish Chief Deputy Assessor), a check substitution scheme was discovered within the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office.”
The sheriff then stated, “We will continue our internal efforts in order to make a determination of how much money was taken and we will continue to provide the information to the Louisiana State Police who have joined the investigation. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor has been apprised of the situation as well.”
Fontenot was booked into the parish jail on charges of theft of over $1,500.00. She was released the same day on a $20,000.00 bond.
The investigation into the theft is ongoing and the sheriff plans to update the public as the investigation develops.