Eddie Thibodeaux cleared in release of convict

Eddie Thibodeaux, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s jail administrator, was cleared Friday of any impropriety in the release of a Eunice man convicted on Wednesday of several felony grade offenses committed during his employment as fleet services supervisor with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Bobby Guidroz told a reporter for KLFY TV on Thursday there was an investigation into the release of Eliot Bertrand.
The sheriff did not respond to a phone call at about 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Thibodeaux, reached by phone shortly after the call to the sheriff, said he could not comment because of the investigation.
By about 2 p.m. Friday, the sheriff reported Thibodeaux had been cleared.
In an email on Friday afternoon the sheriff stated, “After further investigation of the re-booking by the Judge in the courtroom it was determined by the court that there is no requirement of rebooking of a person convicted of a crime who is released on bail post conviction under CCrP. Art. 312(E) and the court issued a per curiam rescinding its previous order to re-book Mr. Bertrand.  This was entered into the court record today.”
In a phone call, Guidroz said, “at the end of the jury’s release, when the judge told the bailiff to remand the inmate to the custody of the sheriff for processing, then they took him across the street, the bailiff, and Eddie Thibodeaux met him there.”
Thibodeaux questioned whether Bertrand had to be rebooked and was told it was not necessary, he said.
“And so when they called me and told me that, I said, wait a minute, that’s not what the judge said, according to the minutes that the court reporter wrote up. Because I looked at him. So I ordered Eddie to call Elliot Bertrand back to the jail so that he could be properly processed by the judge. And Elliot came back, was booked,” Guidroz said.
Judge James Doherty wrote a decision stating Bertrand did not have to be rebooked and could be released on his bond from a previous release.
“So we had to undo the investigation. I was having an investigation assigned as to who was responsible, of course, for not following the judge’s order. And that’s when the judge came out and said, ‘no, my bad, my mistake,’” he said.
“Eddie didn’t do anything wrong, now that we know it from the judge. The judge has taken the hit for it,” Gudroz stated.
District Attorney Chad Pitre reported in a news release that after three days of evidence, a jury convicted Bertrand of both malfeasance in office and attempted malfeasance in office, along with theft greater than $1,000 but less than $5,000 and theft greater than $5,000 but less than $25,000.
The District Attorney’s office presented evidence establishing that Bertrand used his supervisory position to improperly receive a personal payment for dive services and for selling several loads of scrap metal belonging to the sheriff’s department for his personal gain.
The evidence also established that Bertrand used his position to illegally purchase equipment and supplies through the Sheriff Department’s purchase order system to enhance and remodel his own personal property.
Bertrand faces up to 10 years imprisonment on the theft greater than $5,000, up to five years on the theft greater than $1,000. up to five years on the malfeasance conviction, and up to 2.5 years on the attempted malfeasance. All sentences are to be served with or without hard labor. Bertrand is set for a sentencing hearing on Sept. 11.
The arrest of Bertrand in October 2022 stated he was 37 years old and resided in the 200 block of North Bobcat Drive.
Thibodeaux, of Eunice, previously served as the sheriff’s public information officer and Crime Stoppers spokesman.