Authorities in Louisiana say a man posed as a local judge and tricked jail workers into reducing an inmate’s bond, allowing him to walk free before officials uncovered the scheme.
The Suspect
Deputies identified the suspect as Adrian James St. Romain, 42. He faces charges of false impersonation, assisting escape, attempted simple escape, and injuring public records.
The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Department said officers arrested St. Romain on Tuesday on an unrelated warrant, then added the new charges for “impersonating local judges.”
How the Scam Worked
The scheme began in April, when someone called the Calcasieu Correctional Center claiming to be a judge. Officials said the caller verbally reduced inmate Demond Lynn Delahoussaye Sr.’s bond to “Released on Recognizance.”
Delahoussaye, 46, walked free in June under the fraudulent bond, according to NBC affiliate KPLC.
Authorities discovered the deception only when Delahoussaye appeared in court on July 17. He was immediately arrested and booked back into custody. Court records show he is being held on an aggravated assault charge.
More Attempts and Arrest
Detectives believe St. Romain tried to impersonate a judge two more times in July to arrange another fraudulent bond for Delahoussaye, but those attempts failed. Investigators eventually identified him as the suspect.
With help from the U.S. Marshals Service, deputies arrested St. Romain. The investigation remains active, authorities said.
Sheriff’s Response
Sheriff Stitch Guillory acknowledged the lapse and said his office has taken corrective steps.
“We have policies in place and have already made changes to ensure this type of situation does not happen again,” Guillory said. “This was an honest error that occurred due to lack of training, and we have addressed it.”
He added that deputies did not release information in July to avoid tipping off the suspect while the investigation was underway.
“I want to commend our detectives, corrections deputies, and the CPSO Real Time Crime Center for the work they did using multiple law enforcement tools and techniques to connect the dots and identify the suspect responsible,” Guillory said.
As of Wednesday, St. Romain’s bond had not been set.
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