Highlights

Grand jury indicts Robert Gautreaux on seven counts of filing false public records, two counts of injuring public records, and two counts of obstruction of justice
Gautreaux accused of creating fake contractor quotes for school construction projects valued between $50,000-$249,999
Obstruction charges allege evidence tampering “with specific intent of distorting results of criminal investigation”
Louisiana Attorney General conducting separate public corruption probe examining whether higher officials knew about alleged forgeries
Gautreaux remains employed by Lafayette Parish School System as agriculture teacher at $85,000 annual salary

Former LPSS Construction Director Indicted on Multiple Forgery, Obstruction Charges

Grand jury adds obstruction counts to existing charges against Robert Gautreaux as Attorney General probes Lafayette schools.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — A Lafayette grand jury Wednesday indicted the former construction director for Lafayette Parish schools on multiple felony charges of forgery and obstruction of justice, escalating a criminal case that began with his arrest last August.

Robert Gautreaux faces seven felony counts of filing false public records, two counts of first-degree injuring public records, and two counts of obstruction of justice, according to The Current. The obstruction charges accuse Gautreaux of tampering with evidence “with the specific intent of distorting the results of a criminal investigation or proceeding.”

The indictment comes as Louisiana Attorney General’s office conducts its own public corruption investigation into top Lafayette Parish School System officials.

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What Lafayette Families Need to Know About the Charges

Gautreaux led LPSS’s construction, facilities and maintenance department for less than two years before being placed on administrative leave in June 2025. Investigators say he created false quotes from local contractors and submitted them into school system records to meet policy requirements for construction projects valued between $50,000 and $249,999.

District policy requires at least three quotes for projects in that price range, which don’t require formal public bidding but still need competitive documentation. Investigators say Gautreaux used the letterhead of legitimate local companies to fabricate quotes, with contractors later confirming they never submitted the documents bearing their company names.

Lafayette Parish School Systems, Facebook

Lafayette Police arrested Gautreaux in August 2025 on single counts of filing false public records and injuring public records. The grand jury has now added multiple additional counts plus the obstruction charges.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Fritz Welter of the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Timeline of the Investigation

The alleged forgeries first came to light during a Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors investigation into Bosco Oilfield Services, an unlicensed contractor hired for drainage repair work at Charles Burke Elementary. That investigation was prompted by reporting from The Current examining LPSS construction practices.

The licensing board discovered that quotes for the project appeared to be forged, with contractors denying they had submitted bids listed in school system records.

LPSS turned its internal investigation over to Lafayette Police Department on June 18, 2025. Gautreaux was placed on administrative leave that same day. On July 1, 2025, Superintendent Francis Touchet allowed Gautreaux to return to work in his previous position teaching agricultural science at the W.D. and Mary Baker Smith Career Center, cutting his salary from $104,000 to $85,000 annually.

Attorney General’s Broader Corruption Probe

The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office is conducting a separate public corruption investigation into LPSS that extends beyond Gautreaux’s alleged actions. Sources familiar with the probe told The Current that AG investigators are examining whether anyone higher than Gautreaux was involved in the alleged forgeries or knew quotes were being manipulated to direct school work to favored contractors.

Investigators are also looking into whether any school officials financially benefited from relationships with vendors.

Background on Construction Conflicts

The Current began investigating LPSS construction projects in early 2025 after the school board’s annual audit revealed potential violations of public bid law. Auditors found the school system had been dividing projects into smaller components to avoid the $250,000 threshold requiring formal public bidding.

That reporting later revealed the practice created unsafe conditions at Carencro High School’s agriculture barn, where permitless electrical work left the building dangerous for weeks.

LPSS

Gautreaux replaced Kyle Bordelon as construction director in November 2023, shortly after Touchet became permanent superintendent. Unlike Bordelon, who holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management, Gautreaux has no related degree. He spent 15 years teaching agricultural science before becoming an assistant principal, then was promoted to the construction director role.

Gautreaux is also an elected member of the St. Landry Parish School Board.

The History Behind Lafayette's Street Names

We drive them on a daily basis. Some are smoother than others. Some we use more frequently than others. Some randomly start, end, and/or change names. They're the streets of Lafayette. The names behind many of these streets have interesting histories. We take a look at where those names come from and the impact their namesakes have had on the city and the parish.

Gallery Credit: Joe Cunningham

Categories: Lafayette News