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The investigation into this matter was predicated on an anonymous complaint received by the Metropolitan Crime Commission of New Orleans (MCC). The complainant reported that two OPJC employees, Dr. Gail L. Audrict and her son, James A. Audrict, are not maintaining an actual domicile within the Parish of Orleans. Instead, both City employees are living in Slidell, Louisiana (St. Tammany Parish), in violation of the City domicile policy.

After reviewing St. Tammany Parish Assessor’s Office records, Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicle records, and Louisiana Secretary of State voter registration records, the OIG has determined that these two City employees, Dr. Audrict and Mr. Audrict, may not be maintaining an actual domicile within the Parish of Orleans. Such behavior would constitute a violation of the City Domicile Ordinance and the CAO Policy Memorandum No. 19(R), Domicile Requirements for City Employees.

On November 29, 2022, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a Request for Documents to the former Superintendent of Police, Shaun D. Ferguson. The Request for Documents included any policies, standard operating procedures and threat assessments involving the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers assigned to the Mayor’s Executive Protection Team (EPT) during the period January 1, 2018 to November 29, 2022. On December 23, 2022, the City Attorney’s Office responded to this Request for Records on behalf of your office and stated:

NOPD does not have responsive records regarding Threat Assessments, Security Plans, Critical Incident Response Plans and Training, and Site Surveys related to operations completed by the Mayor’s Detail.

On April 27, 2022, the New Orleans City Council adopted Resolution No. R-22-203 requesting that the Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigate monies being awarded to nongovernmental agencies through one-year Cooperative Endeavor Agreements, including public monies diverted to Forward Together New Orleans (FTNO).

On February 9, 2023, the City responded to this request and confirmed that a cashier’s check dated January 27, 2023, in the amount $1,063,410.40 was received from FTNO.

The City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General (OIG) believes that the following Third-Party Inspectors, registered with Safety and Permits, are currently in violation of Section 110.10(1) of the Building Code because they appear to have current and active commercial and residential contractor’s licenses issued by the State as described below:

  • Randy Farrell Sr, Commercial License Certificate number (CL.) 61365; Residential License Certificate number (RL.) 885794 doing business as (dba) Global Technical Solutions
  • Christopher Marino Jr., CL. 10337; RL. 81638, dba Roman Builders Inc.
  • Hoang Trong Do, CL. 75203; RL. 888862 (Pending) dba AMM Contractor LLC

Allegations of neglect of duty, misuse of City of New Orleans (City) property and abuse of office by Kyshun Webster, Executive Director, Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC).  It is alleged that Kyshun Webster consistently failed to report for work at the JJIC facility while still being paid by the City.  It is also alleged that Kyshun Webster used JJIC facilities and personnel to care for his dog.

VIOLATIONS:

  • CAO Policy Memorandum No. 83(R), effective June 17, 2020 – Standards of Behavior for City Employees, Section II, General Standards, Paragraph (f).1
  • CAO Policy Memorandum No. 83(R), effective June 17, 2020 – Standards of Behavior for City Employees, Section II, General Standards, Paragraph (o).2
  • Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics, La R.S. 42:1116 – Abuse of Office, Paragraph (A).

ACTION TAKEN:  Referred to the City of New Orleans Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for administrative action.

The investigation into this matter was predicated on information received from Zepporiah Edmonds, Parking Administrator, Department of Public Works (DPW), alleging that a S&WB employee verbally threatened a City of New Orleans (City) Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO) via social media posts for issuing a metered parking citation to a vehicle parked in the 600 block of St. Joseph Street.

On March 23, 2022, David Callahan, Chief Administrative Officer, S&WB, sent an email to the City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General (OIG) containing a letter from Callahan and six photocopies of images he received from DPW. The six images appear to be screenshots of posts to a social media platform. One of the images includes a portion of a metered parking citation issued in the 600 block of St. Joseph Street, all of which he received from DPW.

This investigation has determined that Mytrell Carter:

  • may have violated the rules of the City’s Civil Service Commission, by posting threatening messages on social media.
  • may have violated the S&WB Code of Ethics, by posting threatening messages on social media.
  • violated City Code because she refused to cooperate with the OIG.
  • violation of City Code Section 2-1120, Paragraph (20)(d)

Over the course of two days, OIG investigators found twenty-six (26) vehicles that were registered to S&WB employees or their relatives, bearing a handicap hang-tag and parked in a metered parking space in the immediate vicinity of the S&WB Office.

Seven (7) of these twenty-six (26) S&WB employees were AUTHORIZED to possess a handicap hang-tag. Nineteen (19) were NOT AUTHORIZED to possess a handicap hang-tag.

The Office of Inspector General completed an investigation concerning an allegation that Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport employees were using the airport’s account number at NAPA auto parts stores to obtain a discount towards the purchase of auto parts for their personal use. The results of this investigation are described in the enclosed Report of Investigation.

The investigation into this matter was predicated on a complaint received from the New Orleans Aviation Board (NOAB) Legal Department.  The NOAB reported that airport fire department employees were using the Airport’s corporate account number at NAPA auto parts stores to purchase auto parts for their personal use in order to take advantage of the discount offered by NAPA to the airport.  Airport management became aware of the issue because a NAPA auto parts store employee had called former Airport Fire Chief Gary Simon Jr. about an auto part that an employee, Shalanda Augillard, had ordered from a NAPA store but forgot to pick it up.  The NOAB also reported that the airport fire department chief mechanic, Ed Powell, had a side business repairing vehicles and used the discount often.  In addition, Powell may have shared the airport’s corporate account number at the NAPA auto parts stores with other airport employees.

Orleans Parish Communications District Operations Manager Wendy Ervin was given access to the Louisiana Law Enforcement Telecommunications System and the National Crime Information Center despite being a convicted felon.

OPCD employees are granted access to LLETS, NCIC and other criminal justice related databases to verify vehicle registrations, driver’s license information and to conduct criminal history inquiries.

The interface agency in this instance is the OPCD.  The “CSO” designation is assigned to personnel in the Louisiana State Police NCIC/LLETS Access Unit.  Local user agencies violating CJIS policy are subject to disciplinary action which, in extreme circumstances, may result in the agency’s access to the system being temporarily revoked.

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ASSISTANT CHIEF MECHANICAL INSPECTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO USING AN INTERSTATE FACILITY WITH INTENT TO CARRY ON UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY

NEW ORLEANS, LA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that BRIAN MEDUS, 44, of Covington, pleaded guilty as charged to violating Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1952(a)(3), conspiracy to use an interstate facility with intent to carry on unlawful activity.

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