Former Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission member Henry Mouton has been indicted for allegedly accepting nearly $500,000 in illegal payoffs to keep a New Orleans landfill closed, according to news reports.
The 64-year-old Mouton, who served on the Commission from 2003 through 2008, was indicted Friday, the Associated Press reported. He is charged with conspiracy, receiving illegal payoffs and making false statements to federal agents, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said in news reports. Letten also is apparently moving to have Mouton’s assets forfeited.
Federal prosecutors accuse Lafayette’s Mouton of accepting $463,000 in illegal payoffs from unidentified co-conspirators and using his position to convince senators and the U.S. Department of Justice to keep the Old Gentilly rleans landfill closed, the AP reported.
According to the indictment, Mouton received the payments from companies connected with other landfills, the news reports state.
Mouton faces more than 50 years in prison if convicted on all eight counts included in the indictment, Letten said.
