Fueled & fired: Deputy arrested for gas card use
Published 12:10 am Saturday, January 23, 2016
LAPLACE — The former lieutenant commander of a St. John the Baptist Parish patrol shift was arrested this week, just days following his termination for what police said was use of a department gas card for personal gain.
Keith Carroll, 32, of LaPlace was booked Sunday for theft under $750 and malfeasance in office.
Sgt. Dane Clement said authorities are not releasing how much money was charged or where it was charged, adding detectives believe the suspect only used the card for personal use one time.
Carroll is not being investigated for any other suspected malfeasance in office.
“An internal investigation revealed there was a single incident,” Clement said. “The incident took place the day before the complaint, which was Jan. 11.”
Sheriff Mike Tregre said a resident’s complaint led to an Internal Affairs investigation, which revealed Carroll used the fuel card to fuel a non-department vehicle.
Authorities said Carroll was employed with the Sheriff’s Office for seven years.
He was fired Jan. 13.
Carroll has been released on a personal surety bond.
Clement said there was no incident involved in Carroll’s arrest, adding he does not have information on if the suspect is cooperating with authorities.
Tregre said certain deputies can use gas cards at any pumps on the Sheriff’s Office’s premises or anywhere else in public.
“We have a system in place, and things are tracked and monitored,” he said. “(The suspect) made a poor decision to use that gas card in a manner which he did.”