Craig “Bubbie” Montou has been named interim Ward 5 Marshal, succeeding Michael “Freck” Slaney, who recently resigned.

Montou, who previously served as chief deputy, will hold the position until an election can be held to officially fill the vacancy. Slaney’s resignation follows a federal indictment involving an immigration visa fraud scheme.

As of Monday, the Secretary of State’s website still lists the position as vacant.

Deputy Secretary of State for Communications Joel Watson Jr. said the seat will remain vacant in the state’s records until Oakdale submits the minutes from the meeting where Montou was appointed.

Mouton announced his appointment on Facebook on Saturday and issued a statement addressing the community’s concerns regarding recent events and the future of law enforcement.

“While I understand and share the concerns that many of you have, I would like to focus on the future of the Marshal’s Office,” Montou stated. “I am deeply committed to restoring trust and transparency with the citizens of Ward 5. I also feel that the Marshal’s Office needs to be returned to its original purpose which is working closely with the Ward 5 Court. Most importantly, my vision for the Marshal’s Office is to act in a community policing style capacity as I feel that this is the best way to serve my community.”

He concluded his statement by stating, “Lastly. I look forward to my time as your marshal as well as the future of the Marshal’s Office. I pledge to remain committed to upholding the law equally and with fairness within our community. Personally, I am a very approachable person and as your marshal, that will not change. While I continue to ask for your patience during this transition, I also would like to invite you to bring up your questions, comments, and concerns with me personally if you need to. Communication and transparency between law enforcement and the community is crucial to restoring the trust between us. Again, I would like to thank everyone for their support during this time and I look forward to what the future holds for the area of Ward 5.”

Slaney submitted his resignation to the Secretary of State’s Office on July 22, a week after his arrest on the federal indictment. He, along with now former Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, former Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon, and former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea, were arrested on July 15 following a 62-court federal indictment returned by a grand jury.

The indictment alleges that the defendants falsified police reports, listing immigrants as victims of bogus crime to allow them to remain in the country, in exchange for thousands of dollars. According to federal prosecutors the profits from the scheme were used to purchase vehicles, property, and other personal items.

Additionally, Oakdale businessman Chandrakat “Lala” Patel, who received a U-Visa in 2023 as an armed robbery victim, was also indicted. Patel reportedly served as a middleman between undocumented immigrants and law enforcement officials in the scheme, which federal prosecutors say began in December 2015.

If convicted, the defendants face significant prison sentences and substantial fines.