St. James justice of the peace arrested in theft
CONVENT — A St. James Parish grand jury has indicted a justice of the peace on charges of theft and malfeasance in office.
Eileen “Candy” Jasmin, the District 6 justice of the peace, was arrested Friday after being indicted Wednesday.
Chief Deputy Sid Berthelot of the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office said the indictment and arrest came after a joint investigation by Louisiana State Police and the Sheriff’s Office.
Jasmin was tasked by a financial institution to garnish payroll wages from someone for distribution to the financial institution, but she didn’t disburse the money, Berthelot said.
“Basically, she kept the money,” he said.
Berthelot said he wasn’t releasing the identity of the financial institution or the person whose wages were garnished by Jasmin.
In addition to counts of theft and malfeasance in office, Jasmin also was booked on one count of issuing worthless checks.
Her bond was set at $30,000, and she was released pending a trial, Berthelot said.