United States Attorney Jim Letten

Eastern District of Louisiana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      CONTACT: KATHY ENGLISH   

FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2008                                     PHONE: (504) 680-3068          

WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/LAE                                   FAX: (504) 589-4978             

     

NEW ORLEANS WOMAN CHARGED IN BRIBERY SCHEME

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA—STACY SIMMS, age 46, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged in a one-count bill of information with misprision of a felony, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to bill of information, STACY SIMMS concealed her knowledge of criminal conduct, by allowing a bank account in her name to be used in an effort to help disguise and conceal the flow of the bribe payments.

If convicted, STACY SIMMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years, a fine of $250,000.00 and one (1) year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Division of the Internal Revenue Service and the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Education.

U. S. Attorney Letten reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Salvador Perricone, Richard R. Pickens, II and Michael Simpson.