DeSoto Parish Sheriff Fights State Auditor

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor is investigating the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's office for alleged payroll fraud. However, Sheriff Jayson Richardson is fighting back. Richardson is asking a state court to stop the auditor's office from gaining access to their files, claiming the documents requested contain sensitive information that is constitutionally protected.

Richardson's lawsuit says that full access to the documents would be illegal because the information being requested contains employees's unlisted phone numbers and addresses, Social Security numbers, performance evaluations, internal affairs and disciplinary matters, unfounded complaints, banking and financial information, medical records, claim forms, benefit payment requests and other highly sensitive information.

The Auditor requested all information but medical records.

Back in January, three deputies were suspended when then Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle alerted the auditor about possible abuse of the LACE overtime ticket writing program.Two of those deputies resigned from their post, the other was rehired.

Statewide, the Auditor's office has been investigating fraud in several law enforcement agencies including the Louisiana State Troopers.