BATON ROUGE, La. – U.S. Attorney David R. Dugas announced two guilty pleas in an ongoing investigation of fraud and corruption at the Jimmy Swaggart Center in Baton Rouge, La., during the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
The operation has resulted in three individuals pleading guilty to their role in the theft of State-owned medical equipment worth approximately $500,000, and one individual pleading guilty to attempting to murder a witness in the investigation.
Rudy S. Adams, Jr. of Beaumont, Texas, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge John V. Parker to one count of theft from a health care benefit program, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 669. ADAMS faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Michael W. Proveaux of Pineville, La., pled guilty in a sealed proceeding on Feb. 7 before U.S. District Court Judge John V. Parker to one count of theft from a health care benefit program, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 669. PROVEAUX faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Donovon R. McMullen, Jr. of Bethany, La., pled guilty on June 7 before U.S. District Court Judge James J. Brady to two counts of attempted murder of a federal witness, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(a)(1)(A) and (C), and one count of theft from a health care benefit program, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 669. McMullen faces up to 50 years imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, or both.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Corey R. Amundson with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. Numerous federal, state, and local agencies have assisted with this operation, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas; the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office; the Dolgeville, New York, Police Department; the Dallas, Texas, Police Department; and the Rockville, Texas, Police Department.
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USDOJ press release
