(The Center Square) − A state audit of the DeSoto Parish Clerk of Court’s office flagged misuse of public funds by former clerk Jeremy Evans, including legal bills tied to a case that ended with a personal civil penalty against him and payments for campaign-related consulting during the 2023 election.
In one finding, auditors cited a lawsuit that resulted in a district court ruling that assessed a $4,600 civil penalty against Evans personally and also assessed Evans and the clerk’s office for attorney and court costs, which the audit says were split equally between the two parties before the end of the fiscal year. Auditors reported the clerk’s office paid $58,977 to one law firm and $15,000 to another during the proceeding, raising concerns the office may have covered attorney fees in a matter that ultimately produced a personal penalty against Evans.
A separate finding says the clerk’s office paid $12,721 in invoices to Rougarou Consulting during the 2023 clerk of court election while Evans was a candidate. The invoices, paid in July 2023 and recorded in the general fund as “other professional services,” described work such as “digital banner ad design” and “digital and social media buy,” according to the audit. Auditors also noted Evans’ campaign finance report on the Louisiana Board of Ethics website showed his campaign paid Rougarou Consulting $30,915 for political consulting and advertising during the 2023 campaign year.
Auditors attributed the issues to inadequate controls over expenditure authorization and the “reasonable possibility” of management override, recommending the clerk’s office strengthen controls over spending and prevent overrides.
The current administration, auditors reported, said the findings related to the prior administration and that new policies and procedures have been implemented.
