$1M returned to FEMA in Katrina bribery, conspiracy prosecution

Apr. 17, 2013 10:07 AM
Written by The Clarion-Ledger

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi has returned over $1 million forfeited from Roger Joe Ladner to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The money was seized from Ladner, 56, of Kiln, in conjunction with his prosecution for a bribery conspiracy and theft of government funds, a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Gregory Davis said. The funds were forfeited to the United States because they were paid to Ladner as a result of his scheme to defraud Hancock County and FEMA.

Ladner was formerly employed with Hancock County as the road superintendent. Following Hurricane Katrina, he was given authority by the board of supervisors to award contracts on a ditch cleaning project funded by FEMA. In exchange for awarding the contracts to certain contractors, including two of his brothers, Ladner unlawfully accepted about $1.2 million, the U.S. attorney’s office said. Sharon Ladner admitted to falsifying documents in connection with a federal investigation by creating a false invoice in the name of her company, Sharon Construction, in an effort to conceal the bribery conspiracy from federal investigators, the news release said.

Roger Joe Ladner was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bribery. He was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and restitution of $1,134,538 to FEMA, the news release said.

Sharon Frances Ladner was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for falsifying documents in connection with a federal investigation. She was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.

Billy Wayne Ladner was sentenced to 39 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for theft of government funds. He was ordered to pay restitution of $590,058 to FEMA.

Donald Ray Ladner was sentenced to six months in prison followed by six months of home confinement with electronic monitoring, and two years of supervised release, for theft of government funds. He was ordered to pay restitution of $291,790 to FEMA.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article...cy-prosecution