Jerry Larpenter

Jerry Joseph Larpenter is the former sheriff and tax collector of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. In August 2016, it was reported that Larpenter's deputies raided the residence of a local anti-corruption blogger on criminal defamation charges after posts examining the business relationships of local parish politicians.^[1][2] The anti-corruption blogger claimed that an insurance contract for parish government was awarded without going through a public bid process and without a required ordinance.^[3] Local newspaper The Daily Comet pointed out that Larpenter's wife is employed by the same insurance business.^[4]

On August 25th, 2016, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals quashed the search warrant use in the raid of the anti-corruption blogger because the warrant lacked probable cause of a criminally actionable offense.^[5]

In July 2017, a judge for the US District Court in Louisiana handed down a ruling that strips Larpenter of immunity in the lawsuit brought against him by the local anti-corruption blogger for violating her rights.^[6][7]

In August 2017, Larpenter settled the civil suit filed against him by the local anti-corruption blogger, who had previous received $50,000 from Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove for his role in the case.^[8][9]

In March 2019, Larpenter announced that he would not seek re-election, leaving office at the end of his term in June 2020.^[10]

A political opponent previously accused Larpenter of using parish government money for personal expenses, such as hunting trips.^[11]

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