Are the feds looking into time sheets submitted to NOPD by the mayor's bodyguard? One criminal justice expert says the signs point that way, and the cop Mayor LaToya Cantrell was allegedly having an affair with could be the next one to face federal charges.
A federal grand jury has already indicted one former police officer on allegations of payroll fraud, and New Orleans Metro Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says the investigation of Todd Morrell was led by the same team that has been looking over Officer Jeffrey Vappie's time sheets.
"There may be some bleed over and this may be an indication that the federal government is closely scrutinizing the hours that officers are billing the city of New Orleans," Goyeneche told WWL's Newell Normand.
An internal investigation by the NOPD found that Vappie violated policy by reporting an 18 hour work day and spending "numerous hours" alone with the mayor outside of his regular duties, but only issued two letters of reprimand. That internal investigation caught criticism from the city's independent police monitor, and from the federal consent decree police monitor.
"This is the first shoe to drop. I think that we might see some more officers held accountable," said Goyeneche. "This may actually have some ramifications with respect to the ongoing investigation of Officer Vappie with respect to the performance of his duties as a member of the mayor's Executive Protection Team."
Video showed Cantrell and Vappie going in and out of a city owned French Quarter apartment all hours of the day and night, alone. He allegedly claimed to be on the clock during times the two of them spent the night in the apartment. His wife claimed he and the mayor were having an affair in divorce papers.