Louisiana
Who Is The 25-year-old Louisiana Mayor Allegedly Caught Up In Drug Trafficking Ring?
Scandal is sweeping one small Louisiana city after its own mayor was arrested on serious offenses. Tyrin Truong was elected mayor of Bogalusa, La. in 2022. Now, he’s been charged in connection to an alleged drug trafficking ring, according to police.
At the young age of 23, Truong made history when he was elected mayor. According to NOLA.com, the Bogalusa native won by ousting the city’s incumbent, Wendy O’Quin Perrette, to become Bogalusa’s youngest ever mayor and one of youngest mayors in Louisiana history.
The democratic nominee began his political career interning for U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay in Missouri, where he graduated from college. After moving back home to Bogalusa, Truong threw his name in the mayoral pool and won with 56 percent of the vote, NOLA.com reported.
But ironically, soon after he becoming mayor and even pushing for increased police presence in his city, the now 25-year-old finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
The Alleged Crimes and Arrest
The Louisiana State Police Narcotics/Violent Crime Task Force began an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking organization in April 2024, according to CBS News. In their investigation, the task force discovered the organization was responsible for distributing opioids, marijuana, other THC products, and MDMA, and they were allegedly using social media to run the whole show.
According to officials, money made from these drug sales were allegedly used to purchase guns, some of which were even used in violent crimes across the city. After authorities uncovered the operation, arrest warrants for seven individuals were issued, including for Mayor Truong.
“We have zero tolerance for wrongdoing, especially, from public officials,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Truong was taken into custody and charged with transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, unauthorized use of a moveable, and soliciting for prostitutes, according to jail records.
Records show he was released on $150,000 bond. After his release, Truong took to social media to thank his supporters and declare his innocence. He wrote on Facebook “If you think I ran a drug operation (and all those other accusations), you’re sadly mistaken. Those who know me, KNOW me and I’ll let God and my attorney handle the rest!”
The other six suspects face charges of transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses. Three of them have been charged with conspiracy to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance. Another one faces an additional charge of distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance, according to Louisiana State Police.
In a statement, District Attorney Collin Sims said “We are going to continue to invest time and resources into helping the citizens of Bogalusa. We are not finished.”
A state lawmaker whose district includes Iberville and nine other parishes will lead the way on the drawing of a new congressional map when the committee convenes Friday.
Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, will chair the hearings to draw a new congressional district map. He currently serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.
On Wednesday, Kleinpeter said he has not worked on any maps. He is letting the committee members and the members of the Senate work on this with staff.
The move will come nine days after the U.S. Supreme Court on a 6-3 vote ruled one of Louisiana’s two majority-Black U.S. House districts unconstitutional.
“We can’t base it on race anymore, so the minority party is the Democrats,” he said. “The Democrats have migrated away from the New Orléans area, so we’re looking at Democrats versus Republicans, so the minority party — the Democrats — which means it’s more favored toward Baton Rouge.”
The move would work in favor of incumbent 6th District Congressman Cleo Fields, who was a candidate for the race which Gov. Jeff Lndry suspended in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.
The ruling stemmed from Louisiana vs. Callais – a consolidation of Robinson vs. Callais – that centered on racial gerrymandering and redistricting in the state of Louisiana following the 2020 United States census. The lead plaintiff, Phillip “Bert” Callais, is a resident of Brusly.
The Supreme Court vote came despite the African American population comprising nearly one-third of the state’s population.
According to the 2020 Census, the Black or African American population in Louisiana was approximately 1,464,023,representing 31.4%of the state’s total population. Louisiana has one of the highest percentages of Black residents in the United States, ranking second behind Mississippi.
The Baton Rouge district would likely be the area to undergo the remap, he said.
It amounts to an intricate balancing act.
“What far-right Republicans don’t understand is that with Congress maps, you have to be within 776, 280 votes – within 50 votes of the other districts,” Kleinpeter said. “It’s not like our legislative maps where you can be off by thousands … when you start changing a precinct, it can run down a rabbit hole chasing this precinct over here and over there.
“We can easily draw a really strong nine Republican and one strong Democrat, so if you start watering districts down you could wind up with a 4-2 map.”
Republicans currently have a two-vote super majority vote.
“But some Republican districts are strong and others are weak,” Kleinpeter said. “If you take 58 percent Democrats and put them in Republican districts, you could end up losing Republicans.
“Drawing congress maps is very difficult – you have the leader of the party, and you have the Speaker of the House you have to protect,” he said. “You don’t want to jeopardize their maps at hole.”
One other issue is looming for the state, Kleinpeter said.
“What people don’t understand is that we will have to do this all over again in five years, after the next census comes out,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll people by that time.”
The 2030 Census will play a key role in the process, but it still requires participation.
“I had plenty of next-door neighbors who didn’t want to fill out their census” he said. “I’m going to push to fill out their census. We miss out on federal money and potentially risk losing a seat. “
Neuty, the iconic Bucktown nutria visits the state capitol, with Myra Lacoste, Denny Lacoste, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Dennis Lacoste Sr., and Louisiana state Senator J. Cameron Henry Jr. Neuty was an orphan, rescued by the Lacostes. In March 2023, LDWF agents attempted to confiscate the illegal pet.
VIDALIA, La. — Louisiana State Police arrested 18-year-old Gregory Steele early Sunday morning on two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of underage operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, one count vehicular negligent injuring and one count careless operation, according to Concordia Parish Jail records.
Steele, 18, a white male, was arrested in connection with an accident that occurred at approximately 1:54 a.m. on Sunday morning on Minorca Road in Vidalia. Two passengers in the vehicle were killed. Steele and another passenger were able to escape the vehicle.
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