Devillier’s family raises questions about others named in audit

With eight days of Rebecca Devillier’s seven-year sentence served, her family is wondering if any of the individuals that Devillier accused of partaking in the misappropriation of Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office funds will be forced to pay for their actions as well.
Devillier’s sister Crystal Bogard said, “My sister deserves to pay for her crimes, but she shouldn’t be the only one that goes to jail.”
According to a Louisiana Legislative Audit that was addressed to Devillier on March 9, 2015, the former Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Civil Deputy claimed that other EPSO employees stole money from the department along with her.
The audit reads, “Four checks totaling $6,506 were endorsed by Ms. Devillier and cashed. Of this amount, two checks totaling $3,106 were secondarily endorsed by EPSO Prison Warden Wilfred Jack.”
According to the audit, “Ms. Devillier stated that Mr. Jack also cashed checks at the bank and that she would split the proceeds with Mr. Jack.”
Jack informed investigators that “he cashed the checks at Ms. Devillier’s request, but did not know why the checks were cashed and that he brought all of the cash back to Ms. Devillier.”
Another individual that the audit says Devillier accused of playing a part in the theft was former EPSO Deputy Mike Perry.
The audit states, “Ms. Devillier also issued a check in the amount of $2,200 to former EPSO deputy Mike Perry on July 12, 2013. The check was endorsed “Mike Perry” and appears to have been cashed. Although the check was issued for a “Drug Buy,” the EPSO could not provide the documentation that is regularly maintained for such disbursements.”
According to the audit, “Ms. Devillier informed us (auditors) that she wrote the check because Mr. Perry requested money to pay bills.”
However, the final and official audit, which was released on April 1, 2015, stated, “Each of the two individuals (Jack and Perry) that cashed these checks denied using any of the funds for personal purposes.”
The unofficial audit that Devillier received and the official audit completed in April also indicate that Devillier provided funds to a local law firm for another EPSO employee which neither audit names.
According to the finalized audit, “EPSO records indicate that Ms. Devillier issued a check in the amount of $1,200 to a local law firm on behalf of an EPSO employee and allowed the employee to repay EPSO through payroll deduction.”
At the time of the release of the official audit, the employee had “repaid a total of $850.”
Currently Devillier has been the only EPSO employee indicted on any charges that involved theft from the EPSO and malfeasance in office.
Devillier pled guilty to both charges on September 28, 2016 and was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor, three of which were suspended, and five years of active supervised probation for theft of U.S. currency having a value of $1,500 or more. For the crime of malfeasance in office, Devillier received five years at hard labor, four of which were suspended, and five years of active supervised probation.
Devillier’s sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time, which gives her a total of seven years to be served at hard labor.
Along with her time served, Devillier will be required to pay the EPSO $114,981 in restitution, as well as $63,290 to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor for the cost incurred during the audit process.