Sandra Degeyter admitted in federal court late Monday afternoon to receiving more than $5,000 for her role in the bribery scheme that continues to haunt the 15th Judicial District, making her the fifth guilty plea entered in the case so far. Sandra Degeyter admitted in federal court late Monday afternoon to receiving more than $5,000 for her role in the bribery scheme that continues to haunt the 15th Judicial District, making her the fifth guilty plea entered in the case so far.
Sandra Degeyter
During Monday's proceedings, the 61-year-old Degeyter admitted she was paid more than $5,000 by an unnamed co-conspirator - whom U.S. Magistrate Patrick Hanna referred to as a private investigator, and whom The IND has long identified as Robert Williamson, aka Secret Cajun Man.
Degeyter's relationship with Williamson began in 2008, while she was still employed with Acadiana Outreach Center as a case manager. In Monday's plea, Degeyter conceded to forging signatures on more than 50 community service documents for OWI and other defendants. Even after her employment with the nonprofit came to an end in 2009, Degeyter continued with the racket of forging community service docs. That, she accomplished through Elaine Crump, another former AOC case worker.
Elaine Crump
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Crump made between $1,000 and $2,000 for her role in the bribery scheme. Even after both no longer were employed by AOC, they continued forging the documents in question, with Crump receiving one last payment of $100 from Degeyter sometime between November and December 2011, according to Hanna.
Read more about how they and others pulled off the scheme here.
Degeyter's sentencing hearing is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 8 before Judge Elizabeth Foote. By pleading Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, Degeyter now faces up to five years in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, in addition to as many as three years of supervised release.