The Department of Justice said Wednesday that a federal law enforcement agent was convicted on seven counts for actions that apparently included telling an alleged drug dealer to buy a truck and then seizing the truck for his own use at work.
Chad Scott of Louisiana, a former special agent at the Drug Enforcement Administration, was found guilty of two counts of perjury, three counts of obstruction of justice, and two counts of falsifying government records after a seven-day trial. He was suspended from his job indefinitely.
According to trial evidence, Scott convinced a Houston, Texas-based drug dealer to buy a $43,000 Ford F-150 truck. Then, as a part of his cooperation, he forfeited the truck. Scott apparently then made fake seizure paperwork, changing the location where he seized the truck, so that he could actually get away with using it as his official work vehicle.
The evidence also showed, according to the DOJ, that Scott convinced the Houston drug dealer and another drug dealer to falsely testify at a federal trial about an alleged cocaine and heroin dealer. The person was then found guilty. The court dismissed the case after learning about Scott’s intervention.
Scott and former DEA Task Force Officer Rodney Gemar were also charged with unlawful conversion of property by a government officer or employee and removing property to prevent seizure. The trial for these charges is scheduled for October 2019.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski said, “Chad Scott violated his sworn commitment to serve the public and uphold justice, dishonoring the special trust that we place in each of our federal law enforcement agents.”
Two other deputies at the Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana Sheriff’s Office were found guilty in the investigation as well. Karl Emmett Newman pleaded guilty to unlawfully carrying a firearm and misappropriating money that the DEA confiscated. Johnny Domingue pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and misappropriating money that the DEA confiscated. Rodney Gemar was charged with Scott
“Scott’s actions were selfish and placed an unnecessary stain on an otherwise stellar agency. We commend our partners at the DEA for their unprecedented level of cooperation throughout this investigation,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony T. Riedlinger.