Jailers arrested on sex, alcohol charges

Published 12:00 am Saturday, February 17, 2001

AMY SZPARA

LAPLACE – Two St. John the Baptist Parish correctional officers were arrested Wednesday for sexual conduct with a female inmate at the old parish prison in LaPlace. Charged with malfeasance in office, which prohibits sexual acts with incarcerated persons, Roy J. Scharwath, 71, 319 Magnolia Ave., and Patrick Coleman, 31, 1937 Jasper Lane, Apt. C, both of LaPlace, confessed to authorities just two days after the investigation began, officials said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. Authorities said the sexual acts were consensual. The female inmate, 37, whose name has not been released, has been housed at the facility for over a year on several charges, including narcotics. Scharwath is also charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution. He allegedly brought alcohol into the prison, though authorities would not say if it was given to inmates. A third officer, Trudy Esko, 46, 254 Marigold Street, of Mt. Airy, has also been arrested on contraband charges. In addition to malfeasance in office for not telling authorities of the sexual conduct within the prison, Esko has been charged with theft. According to Sheriff Wayne L. Jones, the female corrections officer stole supplies and other items in the facility. Jones said the original complaint came from Warden Steven T. Guidry, who received information last month from other officers that sexual conduct was occurring on the premises. According to Jones, all three officers were arrested in front of their peers. He said he wanted to send a loud and clear message. “They are responsible for their actions.” He added that all three were fully aware of their mistakes. He said that any officer who commits a crime will be punished just as any other person would be. Jones added that the overall morale of the other officers has remained very good. Authorities are convinced the three officers were the only ones involved in any wrongdoing. Bond was set at $5,000 for both Scharwath and Coleman and $10,000 for Esko. Scharwath posted bond shortly after his arrest. Esko was still being held at the Sherman R. Walker Correctional Center Friday morning, and Coleman was transferred to St. Bernard Parish. According to Jones, all three officers have worked in corrections for less than five years. “No sheriff’s office is immune to this,” he said, adding that the incident was a sheriff’s office’s “worst nightmare.” Although St. John recently voted for a quarter-cent sales tax that was used to raise corrections employees’ starting salaries from $1,350 to $1,500 a month to keep deputies in the parish, avoid as many turnovers as possible and boost morale, Jones said that corrections officers are still at the “lowest end as far as pay goes.” That is no excuse for their behavior, he said, adding that this type of behavior would not be tolerated at St. John’s Sheriff’s Office.