Former TPSO Captain Sentenced for Theft

U.S Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on November 9, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) captain Kevin Stimage to twelve (12) months and one day imprisonment, one (1) year of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Stimage had pled guilty to Theft from Programs Receiving Federal Funds.

Click here for previous related stories

According to court documents, in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, Stimage reported having worked, on average, 40 hours per week at the TPSO, approximately 40 hours per week at an off-duty work detail at a motor vehicle dealership, and, beginning in 2018, approximately 30 hours per week at an off-duty work detail at an apartment complex, for a total of approximately 110 hours per week.  However, Stimage only worked a portion of the claimed hours, thereby defrauding the TPSO, the vehicle dealership, and the apartment complex out of a total of $241,086, which Judge Vitter ordered Stimage  to repay as the restitution portion of his sentence.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans stated, “We want to assure the public that with the continued assistance from our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this Office will identify and prosecute any individual who commits an act of public corruption,”

"Public corruption occurs when a public official conducts an official act in exchange for money, goods or services. It also includes public officials who fraudulently or illegally take something of value for their own personal gain. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that law enforcement officers like Kevin Stimage will be held responsible and that no one is above the law,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. "We thank our partners at the United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Louisiana for their strong partnership and pursuit of justice."

U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Myles Ranier and Chandra Menon prosecuted the case.