Troy Leblanc of St. Martinville pleaded guilty to one count of “misprision of a felony” before Judge Elizabeth E. Foote of the U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division, on Dec. 21.
Leblanc, who reportedly resigned from the St. Martinville Police Department after entering the plea, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13 in Lafayette.
Misprision of a felony is defined as “the offense of concealing knowledge of a felony by one who has not participated, or assisted in it.”
Leblanc, who was an investigator with the SMPD at the time, was involved in a Jan. 7, 2016 incident in which fellow officer Codi Dodge allegedly kicked a suspect without legal justification. Federal investigators say that following the incident Dodge and others conspired to file false reports to cover up that incident and another similar incident that occurred on Aug. 13, 2016.
Earlier last month Dodge was indicted on seven counts of violations of federal laws in relation to the incidents. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and is awaiting a trial date.
In the plea agreement, Leblanc admitted that he assisted Dodge in the Jan. 7. 2016 arrest, witnessed Dodge kick the suspect, did not report the kick and instead covered up Dodge’s use of excessive force by writing a false police report.
In exchange for Leblanc’s information and guilty plea, the government agreed to not prosecute him for any other offenses relating to the investigation, and grant a one-point reduction in the offense level because Leblanc assisted in the investigation of Dodge’s actions.
Although the offense carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment of not more than three years and/or a fine of not more than $250,000, Leblanc was released on his own recognizance and ordered to pay a special assessment of $100.
While awaiting sentencing, Leblanc was ordered to avoid all contact with anyone who may be a victim or witness in the investigation, and to not possess a firearm or other weapons.
