Opelousas Police Chief Candidate Arrested Again Weeks Before Runoff
An Opelousas police chief candidate who advanced to a runoff election despite being arrested earlier this year is back in jail, this time facing additional criminal charges just weeks before voters decide who will lead the city's police department.
Yolanda Lewis, 49, was arrested Thursday (November 12) by Louisiana State Police as part of an ongoing investigation involving the alleged unauthorized access and sharing of protected law enforcement information.
According to a Friday news release from Louisiana State Police, Lewis now faces criminal conspiracy, 10 counts of trespass against state computers, and obstruction of justice.
What makes the timing particularly significant is that Lewis remains a candidate for Opelousas police chief in the December 12 runoff election against incumbent Graig LeBlanc.
Her previous arrest in April did not prevent her from running for office, and enough Opelousas voters supported her candidacy in the November election to send her into the runoff.
Now, with the election less than a month away, the criminal investigation has resulted in additional charges.
Lewis Was Previously Arrested Before Making the Runoff
Lewis was among five public officials arrested in April following a Louisiana State Police investigation into allegations of malfeasance involving protected government information.
According to investigators, public officials allegedly accessed state or government computer databases and shared sensitive information with a defendant who had been arrested in connection with an ongoing criminal case.
State Police said the information included details about alleged victims in active investigations.
Lewis, who was an Opelousas police officer at the time, was charged with malfeasance in office and trespass against state computers.
She was released on a $2,500 bond following that arrest.
Despite those allegations, Lewis continued her campaign for Opelousas police chief and earned enough votes to advance to a December runoff against LeBlanc.
State Police Announce Additional Charges Against Lewis
In a November 13 announcement, Louisiana State Police confirmed that detectives continued investigating after the initial arrests in April.
Investigators said they uncovered evidence of additional crimes and submitted their findings to the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.
That investigation resulted in new charges against Lewis and two other individuals.
Lewis was booked into the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Detention Center on November 12. Initial jail records indicated that bond had not been set, but Facebook posts from family members appearing on Lewis' page suggest she has bonded out.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill addressed the latest arrests in the State Police announcement.
"No one is above the law, especially those with a duty to serve the public."
Two Other Officials Also Arrested on Additional Charges
The latest investigation also resulted in arrests involving two other individuals originally implicated in April.
Darrien Guillory, 33, a former sergeant with the Ville Platte Police Department, faces charges of criminal conspiracy and unauthorized use of a movable.
Chasecca Basco, 41, an Evangeline Parish 911 dispatch supervisor, faces five counts involving Schedule II controlled substances and 32 counts of being a principal to trespass against state computers.
Both were arrested November 12 and booked into the Evangeline Parish detention facility.
The original April investigation also involved Ville Platte Mayor Ryan Williams and Mamou Police Chief Charles "Pat" Hall.
The latest State Police announcement did not identify additional charges against Williams or Hall.
Can Someone Who Has Been Arrested Run for Police Chief in Louisiana?
The circumstances surrounding Lewis' campaign raise an important legal question: Can someone facing criminal charges still run for public office in Louisiana?
Under Louisiana law, an arrest alone does not automatically disqualify someone from seeking elected office.
Article I, Section 10.1 of the Louisiana Constitution establishes restrictions involving felony convictions, including people serving sentences for felony convictions and certain individuals whose convictions are final.
The law also provides exceptions involving pardons or the passage of more than five years since completion of the original sentence.
Those restrictions are different from simply being arrested or charged with a crime.
Lewis has been accused of criminal wrongdoing, but the arrests described in the State Police announcements are not convictions. She remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Her situation also illustrates the distinction between legal eligibility to run for office and the decision voters make at the ballot box.
Lewis was already facing charges when Opelousas residents voted in November. Nevertheless, she advanced to the runoff, where she is scheduled to face the incumbent police chief again.
What Happens to the Opelousas Police Chief Runoff?
For now, the December 12 election remains scheduled, with Lewis and LeBlanc listed as the two candidates.
The latest arrests do not, by themselves, establish that Lewis is legally disqualified from continuing her campaign.
It remains unclear whether the additional charges will result in any changes to her campaign or legal proceedings before Election Day.
Louisiana State Police say the investigation remains active, with the agency working alongside the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.
The December 12 runoff will determine who serves as Opelousas' next police chief.
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