Pubdate: Tue, 05 Mar 2002
Source: Advocate, The (LA)
Copyright: 2002 The Advocate, Capital City Press
Contact:  http://www.theadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2
Author: Michelle Millhollon, The Advocate
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1419/a02.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption)

NO INDICTMENTS YET IN CORRUPTION CASE

The case made a big splash last year with talk of political corruption, 
prostitution and drug trafficking.

A flurry of arrests followed, including the booking of a friend and 
business partner of state House Speaker Charles DeWitt.

Now the case is stalled -- no indictments have been returned, no motions 
have been filed in months and a restaurant that figured in the scandal has 
closed.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Doug Moreau said Monday that the 
case has languished since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Just weeks before the attacks, federal prosecutors had joined the East 
Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's Office in 
investigating the allegations.

The federal focus shifted after airplanes slammed into the World Trade 
Center and the Pentagon, Moreau said.

"(The case is) still in the same status," he said. "Once Sept. 11 happened, 
resources got diverted."

That's not to say the case will never be prosecuted, Moreau said.

"It's part of a much larger picture," Moreau said. "The picture's not 
complete."

The investigation began last summer with the arrests of four people -- a 
Baton Rouge business owner, a former radio station advertising 
representative, an exotic dancer and a suspected drug dealer.

Four others eventually were arrested, including Alexandria businessman Jeff 
Richardson, a friend and business associate of DeWitt.

DeWitt, D-Lecompte, whose name has been linked to the investigation, hired 
a high-profile lawyer but has not been arrested and denies any wrongdoing.

The investigation started with a string of arrests and subpoenas last 
summer. In arrest affidavits, investigators at the sheriff's office said 
they were looking into allegations of political corruption, drug dealing 
and prostitution.

In August, the District Attorney's Office issued a subpoena to Giovanni's 
for the names of customers who used the Highland Road restaurant's private 
room.

That was followed by the arrest of Giovanni's former manager and part 
owner, Anthony John Cox, for allegedly allowing customers to engage in sex 
acts with a Gold Club dancer in the private room.

Separate arrest affidavits in the case included claims that business people 
were using drugs and hiring prostitutes at various apartments around Baton 
Rouge.

Richardson, the Alexandria businessman, is accused of paying Sybil Ann 
Truss, an exotic dancer, for sex after she and another woman had dinner 
with him and someone described in arrest warrants only as an "associate" of 
his.

Investigators reported that Lisa Carr Yaegle, a former radio ad executive, 
claimed Truss asked her to go to dinner and then "party" with Richardson 
and the unidentified associate. Yaegle said she didn't have sex with either 
of the men, according to sheriff's records.

Guaranty Broadcasting officials said Yaegle, arrested last year on drug 
counts, stepped down from her sales position in August.

In late August, a former Gold Club waitress surrendered to authorities on 
allegations of prostitution and drug crimes.

Jacqueline "Jac" Liz Lormand was accused of having sex with Baton Rouge 
businessman Kenneth Breitenbach, who was arrested on drug and obstruction 
of justice counts in the case, and getting paid $200 for each of three 
encounters. Breitenbach and Lormand also used cocaine together, an arrest 
warrant said.

There have been no arrests since Lormand was booked. None of the cases has 
been prosecuted.

Sheriff's Maj. Bud Connor said last week that his office has turned over 
all of its information to the District Attorney's Office. He declined 
further comment.

Dewitt and his attorney, Mike Small, didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Other defense attorneys in the case are careful not to speculate about the 
possibility of prosecution.

J. David Bourland, who represents Cox, said prosecutors aren't facing a 
pressing deadline by which they have to bring charges.

"They have quite a while to prosecute," Bourland said. "We're just hoping 
it resolves itself."

Giovanni's is no longer in business.

Bank One filed suit last month against Cox and the restaurant's other 
owner, Benevento Inc., for the unpaid balance on a $100,000 promissory note.

After unsuccessfully trying to gain full ownership of Giovanni's, Cox left 
the business last year and opened a restaurant in Covington, Bourland said.

Cox now is a newlywed with a baby on the way, Bourland said.

"I think his life is really focused now on his business and his family," 
Bourland said. "I'm really happy about that."

Some of the other people arrested also are trying to regroup.

Truss no longer lives in Baton Rouge, her attorney, Hillar Moore, said. 
Moore declined to say where Truss is now.

In a letter to the court last year, Yaegle's attorney wrote that his client 
wanted to move because she had no job prospects in Baton Rouge after her 
arrest. Yaegle decided to hold off on relocating so she wouldn't disrupt 
her children, the letter said.

Her attorney, Ben Gibson, wouldn't comment last week on Yaegle's whereabouts.

"She's trying to get on with her life," Gibson said. "Her life's been ruined."

Breitenbach continues to operate his business, Digital Press & Graphics. 
His attorney, Mario Guadamud, said he doesn't know if the state is going to 
follow up the arrest with prosecution.

"He asks me all the time, and I haven't heard anything," Guadamud said.

Other defense attorneys said they're in a wait-and-see mode.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's just sitting there," said Glynn Delatte, who 
represents Lormand.
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