Anytime a judge gets busted for taking a bribe it reminds us how vulnerable the legal system is. It also makes us wonder about other judges.
By Chris Kirkham
New Orleans Times-Picayune
NEW ORLEANS — A longtime St. Bernard Parish judge who handled some of the parish’s most high-profile civil lawsuits pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to taking part in a judicial bribery scheme that allowed inmates to get out of jail without paying any bond money.
Judge Wayne Cresap, of the 34th Judicial District, netted more than $70,000 over five years as a result of the scheme that also involved two St. Bernard Parish lawyers, Victor J. “V.J.” Dauterive and Nunzio Salvadore “Sal” Cusimano, who also pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
As part of the plea before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, Cresap will resign his judgeship before he is sentenced in January. The crimes are punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
