FORMER ST. BERNARD JUDGE SENTENCED IN BRIBERY SCHEME
WAYNE G. CRESAP, age 62, a former judge in St. Bernard Parish, was sentenced in federal court today by U. S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to sixty (60) months imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy to deprive the citizens of St. Bernard Parish of their right to receive his honest services. Judge Lemmon also ordered that CRESAP pay a $100,000 fine and be placed on three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.
According to court documents, as a St. Bernard Parish Judge, CRESAP entered into an illegal agreement with lawyers Sal Cusimano and V. J. Dauterive, in which CRESAP converted secured bond obligations to unsecured personal surety bonds, thereby allowing the releases of charged individuals on signatures, and without collateral security. The scheme would begin when clients of attorney Cusimano or Dauterive would retain them to facilitate the release of an inmate being held on a secured bond which they could not afford. Cusimano or Dauterive would then place a telephone call to CRESAP and request that the secured bond be converted to an unsecured surety bond which allowed the inmate’s release on a mere signature. After CRESAP converted the bond, thereby allowing inmate’s release, either Cusimano or Dauterive would make a cash payment to CRESAP.
U. S. Attorney Letten and FBI Special Agent in Charge David Welker, as well as the investigative and prosecution team, offer their thanks to the Metropolitan Crime Commission for providing valuable assistance in this successful case.
This investigation was conducted by Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Marcelle and Richard Pickens.
