Just when you think the recent scandals causing sudden resignations or charges of wrongdoing are over, another questionable activity has surfaced within the state Department of Corrections. Two more longtime employees have resigned from the staff of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

Richard Barton, a major, and Joe Turner, a master sergeant, are the latest to depart the prison. Both were involved in operations at the prison’s rifle range where correctional employees from around the state went for firearms training.

The Advocate reported that an investigation by the state Office of Inspector General found that Barton, while on prison time and using state resources, had been collecting fees privately for some of the training. The newspaper said Barton earned $72,113 annually for his work, charged $75 per person for the training and the charges totaled $6,000 over a period of several years.

The invoices for the training said payments should be made to Barton rather than to the prison or Department of Corrections.

Barton reportedly shared some of his earnings with Turner, whose annual salary was $66,290. Turner told the newspaper he had no comment and emphasized that he left the department with an unblemished record.

“My boss (Barton) was a really good guy, and I worked with him for more than 25 years,” Turner said.

Problems at Angola and within the corrections system were unearthed during an investigation by The Advocate that was followed by department, IG and legislative auditor probes.

Longtime warden Burl Cain resigned and retired in late 2015 after it was learned he had business connections to friends or family of prison inmates, which was against department rules. Cain and some of his supervisors also used inmates to work on their private property.

Two women on the Angola staff have been charged criminally, and one of them has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges. They were in charge of a charity operated for the recreational benefit of inmates and more than $160,000 of its funds were looted.

Tonia Cain, Burl Cain’s daughter-in-law and former business manager at the Avoyelles Correctional Center, was indicted by a parish grand jury on charges of theft of over $25,000. She and her husband, Nate Cain, the former warden of the center, resigned their posts.

Where this latest firing range scandal goes is up in the air at the moment. Sam D’Aquilla, West Feliciana district attorney, for the second time has asked the IG to determine whether charges need to be brought. IG Stephen Street sent the earlier request back to D’Aquilla for his determination.

The Department of Corrections has made some rules changes following multiple investigations of its prison system, but many believe they should be tougher. It also comes as no surprise that there is still serious doubt about whether this is the end of misdeeds within the system and whether other criminal activities may be uncovered.

(MGNonline)