Henry Mouton initially pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, conspiracy and lying to federal investigators, but is expected to plead guilty at his second arraignment, when the details of a plea deal will be discussed in court. Less than two hours after The Independent Weekly posted on its website Friday that Lafayette's Henry Mouton may have reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, his Baton Rouge attorney told The Times-Picayune that the speculation is true.
Mary Olive Pierson, Mouton's defense attorney, would not release details of the plea deal Mouton has reached with the feds to resolve charges of bribery, conspiracy and lying to federal investigators. She says the details will be revealed during Mouton's second arraignment set for June 1.
Mouton, 54, is accused of using his position as a Wildlife and Fisheries commissioner to lobby against the old Gentilly Landfill in New Orleans that reopened after Hurricane Katrina - and receiving $463,970 from a rival landfill owner in return. The rival landfill owner was not identified in the indictment, but court documents and media reports immediately linked Mouton to River Birch landfill owner Fred Heebe, one of several parties under federal investigation for possible ties to government corruption in Jefferson Parish.
Mouton initially pleaded not guilty but is expected to plead guilty at his second arraignment, when the details of the plea deal will be discussed in court.