The lead election official for DeSoto Parish has been arrested on the cusp of a major election for allegedly campaigning at a nursing home.
The election is Oct. 14 so a mere 48 hours before polls open, DeSoto's Clerk of Court Jeremy Evans faces two misdemeanor counts of electioneering at a nursing home. He was booked into the DeSoto Parish Detention Center the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 10.
The law he's accused of breaking is a state law that forbids candidates from "handing out, placing or displaying campaign cards, pictures or other campaign literature of any kind or description in a nursing home."
He faced the accusation head on, releasing a statement on Facebook where he said some are using the incident to question the integrity of the upcoming election. He combated that by writing, "First and foremost, my visits to nursing homes throughout DeSoto Parish have always been rooted in genuine care and concern for our elderly community members."
It's unknown when and where he's accused of illegally campaigning, but penalties for violating that law include a fine up to $500, up to six months of jail time or both. Repeat offenses could come with a $1,000 fine and one-year sentence.
Louisiana State Police confirmed they're investigating the matter, saying they've offered assistance to DeSoto officials for Saturday’s election.