A federal jury has found St. Landry Parish School Board member Quincy Richard Sr. guilty of taking bribes for his vote in favor of a candidate seeking the parish schools' superintendent's post.
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - A federal jury has found St. Landry Parish School Board member Quincy Richard Sr. guilty of taking bribes for his vote in favor of a candidate seeking the parish schools' superintendent's post.
After a two-day trial and deliberations for about an hour, the jury Tuesday found Richard guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of bribery.
U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley said, in a news release, that Richard was shown to have conspired with fellow board member John Miller to receive bribe money from candidate Joseph Cassimere in return for their support. Miller pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery July 1.
The case began in the spring of 2012, when Cassimere said he was approached by the two board members and asked why he wanted to be superintendent.
Cassimere testified Tuesday that after he talked of his past accomplishments and his vision for the school system, Richard responded: "It's going to take a little bit more than that."
Cassimere said Richard and Miller made what seemed to be veiled references to a bribe, but he had brushed off the meeting until Richard followed with a phone call to ask if he had considered the offer.
"At that particular time, I thought, 'This is real,'" Cassimere said.
The superintendent candidate then contacted the FBI, launching an investigation that ended on Sept. 24 in an exchange of cash at the Quarters Restaurant and Casino in Opelousas that was monitored by the FBI.
Richard was convicted on three related but separate charges under federal bribery laws, one carrying up to five years in prison and the other two up to 10 years in prison.
Sentencing dates have not been set.