Police officer in Louisiana arrested, accused of framing other officer

VILLE PLATTE, La. (KLFY) — A Ville Platte Police officer is accused of malfeasance in office and other charges after allegedly framing another officer for evidence tampering, authorities said.

Officer Isaac Johnson has been arrested by Louisiana Bureau of Investigation agents, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Johnson is charged with one count each of filing a false public record, malfeasance in office and principal to obstruction of justice.

LBI agents received a complaint in June of evidence that went missing from the Ville Platte Police Department. Investigators said shell casings recovered at the scene of a shooting at an apartment complex in Ville Platte were removed from the police department. 

Agents said Johnson had participated in a scheme to frame another officer, Carla Thibodeaux, who was subsequently arrested and accused of tampering with the missing evidence. Johnson allegedly provided false evidence in the form of a written statement to the Ville Plate City Marshall’s Office after they began an investigation into the missing evidence.

Johnson’s statement was used as evidence by the City Marshal’s Office, which led to the arrest and resignation of Thibodeaux, who was innocent, officials said.

Johnson also lied to LBI agents about his involvement with the missing evidence, authorities said.     

This is the second Ville Platte Police officer to be charged with malfeasance in office in the past year, not counting Thibodeaux.

He is being booked into the Evangeline Parish jail. His bond has reportedly been set at $25,000.

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