This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
CHALMETTE, La. (WGNO) – St. Bernard Parish President Dave Peralta was indicted Tuesday afternoon on 22 counts stemming from — but not limited to — his alleged stalking of his now ex-wife and coverup. The charges include 11 counts of malfeasance in office, 6 counts of abuse of office, 3 counts of obstruction of justice, 1 count of extortion, and 1 count of stalking. “It’s been the gift that keeps on giving, I guess if you’re a prosecutor,” said Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell.  “So we did this the right way.  We just didn’t think of this stuff in our dreams.” Peralta is accused of stalking his now ex-wife, Sharon Schaefer, between Feb. 7, 2014, and July 31, 2014, as well as using parish property like a cell phone, laptop computer and hot spot to aid him.
  • Dave Peralta outside the courthouse in handcuffs Tuesday, August 4, 2015.
  • Dave Peralta's defense attorney Martin Regan on Tuesday, August 4, 2015.
  • Media outside the Dave Peralta hearing on Tuesday, August 4, 2015.
  • Page one of the 7 page indictment of Dave Peralta.
  • Page two of the 7 page indictment of Dave Peralta.
  • Page three of the 7 page indictment of Dave Peralta.
  • Page four of the 7 page indictment of Dave Peralta.
  • Page five of the 7 page indictment of Dave Peralta.
  • Page six of the 7 page indictment of Dave Peralta.
 
Peralta is accused of creating a hostile work environment and firing employees who were cooperating with investigators and not helping him. Peralta is said to have asking parish workers to help him locate his wife’s address after the two separated, coerced parish employees to create anonymous email accounts and write negative comments about his political opponents on websites.
As to the 11 malfeasance counts, Peralta is accused of:
  • Illegally participating in the employment supervision of his former wife after she reported what she believed to be improper behavior of other parish government employees.
  • Five separate counts of using Parish Government property for private purposes and in furtherance of criminal or unethical activity.
  • Accepting a loan, services or other items of value from a company seeking to do business with parish government.
  • Two counts of harassing and terminating parish government employees who he knew to be cooperating witnesses with law enforcement.
  • Two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from one or more parish government employees.
“I’m amazed at some of the counts, folks.  We have evidence that will discount those counts almost immediately,” Peralta’s defense attorney Martin Regan said. Regan also went on to say the criminal charges began after Peralta and his wife separated.  “This thing got twisted around a domestic matter where his former wife was not happy with the amount of her settlement,” he said. Bond was set at $110,000, and Peralta was led away in handcuffs by St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies following the reading of the indictment. Previously, Peralta was accused of sexual battery in an alleged attack on his wife. Those charges were dropped in April and were not included in Tuesday’s grand jury indictments.  But prosecutors said they could bring up the sex allegations and other new developments at future grand jury meetings. Tuesday night, the St. Bernard Parish Council passed a resolution calling on Peralta to resign.  Regan said that it’s the council members who should step down.  Peralta was not at the meeting, according to a statement, because his cancer has returned and he will undergo chemotherapy. The grand jury also returned a five-count indictment against Jarrod Gourgues, St. Bernard Parish Road Department chief of operations. Gourgues is charged with three counts of malfeasance in office, theft and perjury.