‘Historical misconduct’ | OPSO addresses criminal fraud findings arrest of former employee in ongoing investigation [Video]

NEW ORLEANS — Sheriff Susan Hutson called a press conference to address the results of an in-depth financial review that allegedly found several Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office personnel involved in schemes to defraud the agency and the public. 

“Following a comprehensive financial review led by our new Chief Financial Officer Bianka Brown, we uncovered separate schemes to defraud this agency,” said Sheriff Hutson during her opening statements on Friday. “Schemes that resulted in the arrest of one former employee.”

The OPSO discussed two cases, the first involving former OPSO Grant’s Department employee Kenneth Aaron Lawson, who was arrested on Friday morning and faces multiple felony charges, including theft, bank fraud and public contract fraud.

Lawson is accused of creating a fictitious business to misappropriate more than $75,000 in federal …