St. Charles Parish sheriff owes public answers, watchdog says [Video]

A criminal watchdog says the St. Charles Parish sheriff owes the public an explanation after three former top deputies pleaded guilty to payroll fraud and other charges.Records show ex-Chief Deputy Rodney Madere was allowed to retire before he was arrested and will receive an estimated $200,000 a year in his pension. “The sheriff’s image with his employees has been tainted by the way this was handled,” Rafael Goyeneche with the Metropolitan Crime Commission said. Goyeneche said St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne’s silence is deafening. “It’s eroded the employees’ confidence in the sheriff,” Goyeneche said. “That’s devastating for an elected official not to have the confidence of their employees.”Madere, former Capt. Derek Pertuis and former Sgt. Zain Stillingner pleaded guilty to theft and payroll fraud charges last week. “The sheriff has issued a press release, but what remains unanswered is what he knew, when he knew it and why it …