Tagged: U.S. Attorney's Office

Reaction continues into the resignation of U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. While officials are taking steps to find a replacement, some members of the public are stunned.

Jim Letten, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana and head of an office embroiled in a widening scandal involving online posts made by some of his subordinates, announced his resignation during a news conference this morning.

Letten, the longest-serving U.S. Attorney in the nation and a New Orleans native, thanked his law enforcement partners, staff and family, and said his resignation will be effective Dec. 11.

A businessman is expected to plead guilty later today in federal court to bribery charges. The case is widely believed to involve former Mayor Ray Nagin.

A federal grand jury has indicted a 40-year-old LaPlace man with one count of making counterfeit U.S. currency.

According to the indictment handed up Thursday, Michael Sly at some point before April 17, 2009, made and counterfeited obligations of the United States in the form of three $100 Federal Reserve Notes.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office says if convicted, Sly faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Prosecutors say a Covington man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme in which he and his wife bilked a sleep clinic out of more than $800,000.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office said Thursday Boyd Leahy could face up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 1.

Boyd Leahy's guilty plea follows a guilty plea last week by his wife to one count of health care fraud.

Attorneys for the city of New Orleans and the federal government met behind closed doors with a federal judge to discuss a new agreement to overhaul the New Orleans Police Department.

Participants in Thursday's status conference with U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan declined to go into details. U.S. Attorney Jim Letten described the meeting as productive but added that he was not at liberty to say more. It was unclear when Morgan might grant final court approval to the agreement, which was the result of long negotiations between the city and federal officials.