BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Opelousas Police Chief Graig LeBlanc has turned himself into authorities following his arrest Monday on three felony charges, while another city police officer is scheduled to be arrested on Wednesday, according to St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz.
Guidroz said that LeBlanc, 49, is being charged with failure to seek assistance, obstruction of justice and malfeasance in office in connection with a Dec. 22 shooting incident that involved him and his wife Crystal LeBlanc at the home of Opelousas police officer Savannah Butler, according to state district court records.
The arrest warrant for LeBlanc Guidroz added, was issued by the Sheriff’s Department after further details became available to deputies as they investigated the incident that left LeBlanc and his wife, Crystal LeBlanc, injured after Butler allegedly discharged a firearm.
Butler, who is out of jail on $22,000 bond following her arrest on two counts of misdemeanor injury, illegal carrying of a firearm and obstruction of justice, was placed on administrative leave earlier in January.
Crystal LeBlanc is an employee with the Sheriff’s Department. Graig LeBlanc was elected to his first term in office in 2022.
According to a KLFY Monday night story, city police officer Tyrone Abrams is expected to turn himself in to authorities on Wednesday. It was unclear on Tuesday what charges Abrams could face at this point in connection with an arrest.
Graig LeBlanc, according to Guidroz, was released late Monday afternoon after he turned himself in at the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department and posted $26,000 bond.
The incident involving Graig LeBlanc, Crystal LeBlanc and Butler has drawn interest from national news media, including the New York Post..
After LeBlanc issued a public apology for the incident which occurred at Butler’s home, the New York Post, the Huffington Post and Yahoo.com each posted website articles, for what the stories claimed was a love triangle that developed among LeBlanc, his wife and Butler.
