Jack Montoucet, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, entered a not guilty plea in his first court appearance Thursday, and says he's ready to go to trial on the federal charges.
"It's obviously a sad day for Jack and his family. He’s thankful that he has so much support around him. While no one relishes going to trial, Jack is ready to do that to prove his innocence," his attorney, Don Cazayoux of Baton Rouge, told KATC.
Montoucet was indicted last month in an on-going federal investigation of alleged bribery at the local and state level. On Thursday, in his first appearance in court, he formally entered not-guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was released on an unsecured bond.
His is the latest in a string of indictments in the case. Three men already have pleaded guilty, including Dusty Guidry, who is described as the one who orchestrated a scheme to generate bribes from business owners using programs designed to allow defendants to avoid prosecution, and/or programs defendants were ordered to complete by the court.
A former Lafayette Assistant District Attorney, Gary Haynes, was indicted in the case and is set to stand trial in September. In that indictment, the grand jury alleged that Haynes, 66, of Lafayette, conspired with Guidry, Leonard Franques, and others to solicit bribes and kickbacks and to accept things of value while Haynes was an Assistant District Attorney in the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office (the D.A.’s Office). Haynes' attorney has denied the allegations.
Guidry and Franques already have pleaded guilty, along with a business owner, Joseph Prejean. Guidry pleaded guilty on March 23, 2023, to two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of bribery. Prejean pleaded guilty in December 2023 to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official in the Lafayette Parish District Attorney's Office. Franques pleaded guilty on January 12, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. All three men are scheduled to be sentenced in October - after Haynes' trial.
In some of the indictments, a state official with Wildlife and Fisheries was referred to, but never named. After the first indictment came down, Montoucet resigned.
If convicted, Montoucet faces up to five years on the conspiracy count and up to 20 years in prison on the fraud and money laundering counts, plus fines of up to $1 million.
