Former clerk employee pleads guilty

A second former employee with the St. Charles Parish Clerk of Courts Office has pleaded guilty in connection with a ticket-fixing scheme.

Brittney Jones, 25, of 122 Champagne Drive in Hahnville, received a five-year deferred sentence and three years of probation after entering a guilty plea to malfeasance in office. Jones was ordered to pay a $500 fine and must pay a monthly supervision fee of $60 while she is on probation.

Jones was originally charged with two counts of theft under $500, two counts of malfeasance in office and two counts of injuring public records but pled guilty to the reduced charge.

According to court documents, Jones was arrested as part of an investigation into a ticket-fixing scheme at the courthouse. Police officials were contacted by a woman who said Jones told her that if she paid $117 she would take care of her ticket. The woman was told to leave the "pay to" portion of the money order blank, but after turning over the money order she discovered she had a warrant out for her arrest for failing to pay the traffic ticket.

A second person also came forward and said that Jones told him that she could take care of his ticket for $120. However, the man told police that he also found out that he had a warrant out for his arrest for failure to pay the ticket.

According to the police report, Jones admitted stealing $117 because she needed the money to pay a bill. However, Jones strongly denied taking $120 from the second witness.

Another former clerk employee, Kerri H. Breaux, pled guilty to stealing more than $600 and falsifying records. She received a five-year suspended sentence and was placed on three years of active probation.

A third former clerk employee, Tina Bourque, has pled not guilty to 12 counts of theft under $500 and 12 counts of malfeasance in office.