BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Erica Zacharie, a former clerk employed by the town of Washington, La., has been arrested by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation on multiple charges that include theft, injuring public records and malfeasance, according to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff Office.
According to the arrest warrant, Zacharie, 38, allegedly misappropriated about $20,000 in funds associated with the town traffic and enforcement program.
Court records also show that Zacharie was arrested on Monday after she turned herself into the Sheriff’s Department.
The warrant indicates additionally that Zacharie was previously arrested March 27 by the Sheriff’s Department for theft and malfeasance.
It is unclear whether the March 27 charges are connected to the charges filed against Zacharie this week.
A story that appeared Wednesday on the KLFY.com news website said that apparently parish law enforcement began investigating Zacharie in connection with a complaint filed by an individual on March 5, 2018.
The complaint, the KLFY story said, was made by an individual who told parish authorities that the driver’s license of the person making the complaint to authorities had been suspended due to non-payment of a traffic citation.
Zacharie allegedly created a personal app account that was used by the individual to satisfy the $668 amount of the traffic fine, according to the KLFY story.
An investigation in connection with the complaint alleged that money paid to the cash app allegedly controlled by Zacharie had not been used to pay the traffic citation and was later sent to a collection agency for non-payment.
According to the KLFY.com story, a further investigation of Zacharie conducted by parish and state authorities allegedly shows that other payments made by several other persons, should have been submitted to the town in connection for traffic fines.
