Denham Springs Man Convicted Of Money Laundering

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The manager of Calmes Motorsports LLC in Denham Springs has been convicted by a jury in Baton Rouge federal court on a charge that he laundered money for drug dealers.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/T4wdBH ) Kevin Paul Calmes left the courthouse Wednesday without comment. His attorney, John S. McLindon, said Calmes would not speak with reporters.

McLindon said Calmes' conviction on five of seven felony counts was an unexpected disappointment.

"I thought he (Calmes) would be acquitted on all charges," McLindon said. "He's going to keep his head held high."

McLindon added there would "in all likelihood be an appeal."

Both Calmes and his family's motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle dealership were convicted on three counts related to their handling of cash transactions greater than $10,000. The transactions were structured in a ways that avoided the filing of cash reports that would have drawn the attention of the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies.

Both Calmes and the company also were convicted on a charge of failing to file IRS Form 8300, which is for reporting cash transactions involving more than $10,000.

Both Calmes and the company were found not guilty on a single charge of conspiracy to launder money. Calmes also was acquitted on one of his two money-laundering counts. And the dealership was acquitted on two counts of money laundering.

Visiting U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk, of New Orleans, presided at the eight-day trial that ended after 17 hours of jury deliberation.

After the verdict, Africk, with the prosecutors' consent, ruled that Calmes may remain free on bond until his sentencing on Oct. 24.

___

Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com