OPD Chief Indicted
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Opelousas Police Chief Graig LeBlanc turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday after he and two other former city police officers were indicted on multiple charges by a St. Landry Grand Jury.
The evidence presented before the grand jury was handled by the Louisiana State Attorney General’s Office.
LeBlanc, who was involved in a Dec. 22 shooting incident involving his wife Crystal LeBlanc and former city police officer Savannah Butler, was indicted by the grand jury on charges of malfeasance and obstruction of justice, according to the indictment.
The shooting incident, which LeBlanc has acknowledged occurred at the home of Butler north of Opelousas, left LeBlanc and his wife hospitalized with non-threatening injuries.
Butler, who resigned as an officer earlier this year, was indicted on charges of malfeasance in office, obstruction of justice, attempted manslaughter, aggravated assault with a firearm and aggravated battery.
Former police officer Tyrone Abrams was indicted on charges of malfeasance and obstruction of justice.
In a Jan. 3 statement issued by LeBlanc in connection with the alleged incident, LeBlanc claimed that he had “failed in my commitment to uphold the standards expected by a chief of police.”
LeBlanc said further in the same statement that he had caused “pain and distress to his family and community.”
All persons named in the indictment are considered innocent until proven innocent.
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