By VICKIE JAMBON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A St. John the Baptist Parish Councilman is scheduled to go before Judge Madeline Jasmine Monday morning on charges of tax evasion and theft. According to court records, the attorney general’s office plans to “work something out” with Richard Dale Wolfe.

Criminal case minutes, obtained from Wolfe’s criminal record, state, “Attorney general’s office is working something out with the defendant.”

The case minutes are dated Aug. 16 and correspond to a court hearing in which the defendant and the attorney general were present.

Wolfe’s attorney, Robert Faucheux Jr., was not present at the trial continuance in August.

Earlier this month, Faucheux said his client would appear before Jasmine at the St. John the Baptist Parish Court House in Edgard for a trial status conference.

The attorney said his client pled not guilty on Feb. 11 and they planned to go forward with the not guilty plea.

In Monday’s hearing, Wolfe can either enter his not guilty plea or he can withdraw his plea and enter into a plea bargain.

If Wolfe enters a not guilty plea, he may be immediately scheduled for sentencing.

If Wolfe pleads not guilty, a trial date will be set.

The St. John the Baptist Parish Grand Jury indicted Wolfe on Jan. 12.

Wolfe was indicted on four counts of failure to file state income tax returns and on four felony counts of theft for allegedly misappropriating money in excess of $300.

At the time of Wolfe’s indictment, Faucheux said his client did pay his federal income taxes. He added, Wolfe would plead not guilty to paying his state income taxes.

Faucheux consistently maintained Wolfe was singled out.

The attorney also conveyed, with penalties and interest, the amount under discussion is approximately $15,000.