NEW ORLEANS—Brianna LaFrance, age 31, of
New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced to two years’ probation by the U.S. District
Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo after admitting she conspired to bribe a
mitigation analyst in the state’s home elevation program, announced U.S.
Attorney Jim Letten.
LaFrance pled guilty in February to a
one count bill of information charging her with conspiracy to bribe an agent of
an organization receiving federal funds. According to court documents, LAFRANCE
assisted Rickey Davis in soliciting the assistance of Wanda Acker Williams, a
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program analyst, to mine the state’s Office of
Community Development/Disaster Recovery Unit database of homeowners eligible
for federal funds from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The Hazard
Mitigation Grant Program is tasked with providing eligible homeowners with
funding, up to $100,000 per homeowner, to elevate their houses to prevent
future catastrophic loss from flooding. Williams received money from Davis in
exchange for lists of names of eligible homeowners whom Davis could target to
enter home elevation contracts. LaFrance facilitated two of the multiple
exchanges between Davis and Williams.
The case is being investigated by
Department of Homeland Security-OIG, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant
United States Attorneys Emily K. Greenfield and Matthew Coman.
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