Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A former sergeant for the New Orleans Police Department was indicted on 12 charges of wire fraud, Jan. 11, for allegedly perpetrating a multi-year scheme involving his time sheets.
According to documents filed with the United States Attorney’s Office, 56-year-old Todd F. Morrell, a former NOPD sergeant with the Special Operations Division, is accused of collecting pay from both the NOPD and from an off-duty security detail for thousands of falsified hours.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges that Morrell collected the unearned pay from January 2017 until November 2021 when he resigned from the NOPD.
Morrell allegedly submitted and certified timecards to the NOPD and to the Fair Grounds Neighborhood Patrol with false claims of being on duty for both jobs when in actuality, he was “engaged in recreational race car driving in Avondale, Louisiana, and Austin, Texas.”
Prosecutors also allege that Morrell frequently double-billed both places of employment, claiming on time sheets to have worked at both at the same time.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also alleges that on Nov. 17, 2021, Morrell submitted payroll “adjustment forms,” in an effort to correct “clerical errors” that misstated his hours with the NOPD.
“While an indictment is merely a charge, not a full presentation of evidence, today’s indictment emphasizes this office’s dedication to ensuring the integrity and honesty of public officials and holding responsible those who betray that sacred public duty,” announced U.S. Attorney Duane Evans.
“Official misconduct erodes trust in public institutions and deprives local governments of precious resources,” said Evans.
“When the public official is a member of law enforcement, who has sworn to protect and serve its citizens and maintain the highest standards of the community, such behavior is even more egregious,” said Evans, “especially in communities whose police departments are already enduring critical staffing shortages.”
Morrell faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the twelve charges.
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