Feds indict Mayor Grace for fraud

St. Gabriel Mayor George L. Grace Sr. was indicted yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 29) for fraud, racketeering, extortion, and bribery by Federal investigators, led by U.S. Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux Jr.

Grace was indicted on charges stemming from a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation that lassoed White Castle’s Mayor Maurice “Mo” Brown and Police Chief Mario Brown as well as public officials from New Roads and Port Allen. However, FBI officials also have charged Mayor Grace with extortion dating back as far back as between 2002 and 2007.

The St. Gabriel mayor was previously indicted in 1985 when he was the director of the Portside Vocational-Technical Trade School in Port Allen, but was acquitted of felony theft charges two years later.

The FBI sting operation, a made-up business called Cifer 5000, was key to the indictment this week.

More information is forthcoming in the POST SOUTH.