Lafourche officer booked with theft, fraud

• Advocate River parishes bureau
• Published: Jul 8, 2009 - UPDATED: 4:47 p.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

THIBODAUX — Louisiana State Police insurance fraud investigators arrested a Lafourche  Parish Sheriff’s Office correctional officer today on criminal counts of theft, insurance fraud and malfeasance in office, troopers reported.

Officer Heather Erwin, 34, Thibodaux, had claimed to have constant neck pain from an on-the-job injury that kept her from working but was videotaped participating in bowling leagues by sheriff’s internal affairs investigators using hidden cameras, troopers and sheriff’s deputies said in statements today.

Click here to view that video.

Erwin was placed on medical leave after a Nov. 6 rear-end crash in a Sheriff’s Office vehicle and received more than $20,000 in benefits under the law enforcement agency’s  medical policy, troopers said.

“I am extremely disappointed in the actions of this employee and believe that anyone who occupies a position of public trust should be held to a higher standard,” Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said in a statement.

“Stealing is intolerable and will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law.”

The six-month investigation also discovered that Erwin filed a fraudulent worker’s compensation claim, made multiple claims with other insurers and made false statements during medical evaluations, troopers said.

Erwin surrendered early this morning at Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux, where she was booked and jailed, troopers said.

Erwin, who had worked at the jail since June 2005, was terminated upon her arrest today, sheriff’s deputies said.

Sheriff’s deputies had received reports in January that Erwin was bowling on Wednesday and Friday nights at two different alleys since the crash Nov. 6, troopers said.

Sheriff’s investigators later informed Webre about the possible criminal nature of their investigation and Webre had called in Louisiana State Police, deputies said.

Troopers said that alley records indicate Erwin bowled 16 times at the Thunder Bowl in Thibodaux between Nov. 12 and April 15 for a total of 48 games.

At Bowl South of Louisiana in Houma, Erwin bowled 18 times between Nov. 28 and April 24 for a total of 54 games, troopers said alley records indicate.