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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA— U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TIANNA HART, age 32, of LaPlace was charged with making a false statement via a bill of information filed on February 15, 2022, in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

According to the bill of information, HART, formerly a deputy with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, knowingly and willfully made a false statement to the United States Small Business Administration in an application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) benefits she submitted in May 2021.

If convicted, HART faces a maximum sentence of up to five years, up to three years of supervised release, a restitution order, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde is in charge of the prosecution.