LSP Trooper Garrett Yetman, elected President of LSP Cadet Class 99 and recently arrested for alleged domestic violence, is identified as the second most culpable member of that Cadet Class to engage in a massive across-the-board cheating scandal wherein ALL cadets of the class were deemed to have cheated their ways through the LSP Training Academy.
An important weapon available to any criminal defense attorney is the filing of a Brady Motion. In essence, it obligates the prosecuting attorney to supply to the defense any evidence which may tend to exonerate his client. From the previous link:
A Brady Motion is a type of motion filed by a defendant in a case requesting evidence relating to a material witness that may be beneficial for its case.
The term “Brady” comes from the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland where the Supreme Court indicated that there is a violation of due process when the prosecutor suppresses evidence favorable to the defendant having requested it (Brady rule).
In light of the Brady case, prosecutors are required to disclose any evidence, material, or information available to them or in their possession allowing the defendant to prove his or her innocence by:
- Impeaching the credibility of the prosecutor’s witnesses
- Exculpate the accused in any other way
Criminal defense attorneys are likely to have field days directly attacking the credibility of LSP Troopers who serve as prosecution witnesses when those defense attorneys can demonstrate the Troopers were engaged in a massive across-the-board cheating scandal entailing Cadet Class 99 (and, from what key sources with integral knowledge of the matter tell us, the prior four LSP Cadet Classes as well). In fact, as initial investigations transpired by the Training Academy staff, strong evidence surfaced that the previous four Cadet Academy classes, which were known to be “legacy classes,” also entailed massive cheating.
A “legacy class” is one defined to have among its enrollment the offspring of the upper brass of LSP and would include names like Jacob Brown, son of former LSP Chief of Staff under Col. Kevin Reeves, Robert Brown; Kaleb Reeves, son of former LSP Col. Kevin Reeves; and others. Once the Training Academy staff uncovered facts indicating massive cheating in Cadet Class 99 and those previous legacy classes, in typical LSP fashion, the investigation was transferred away from the Training Academy staff and to Internal Affairs (IA). It was at that point that a complete cover-up of the incident is alleged to have transpired, and that cover-up even overlapped to alleged cover-ups by the same IA top brass (with special emphasis on newly-installed LSP Chief of Staff Chevez Cammon) entailing concealing the true nature of Ronald Greene’s arrest and in-custody death.
Suffice to say that any LSP Trooper actively involved in the cheating scandal will likely have his credibility ripped to shreds when the defense attorney places him on the witness stand and questions him about his role in the cheating scandal. That, in turn, depending on how critical the Trooper is to the prosecuting attorney’s criminal case against the defendant, may likely cause the defendant to walk away Scott Free.
We are going to, over a protracted period, gradually pull the skin back from the onion and reveal the true depth of both the cheating scandal and the ensuing cover-up hatched within LSP’s IA Division with IA’s goal of keeping the cheating scandal away from public purview, and the subterfuge disseminated to the public on the cheating scandal. Interestingly enough, sources with integral knowledge of both matters, indicate to us that LSP IA’s subterfuge on the cheating scandal occurred simultaneous to and overlapped with its cover-up efforts entailing the true nature of the in-custody death of Ronald Greene.
In this Installment One, we’ll take a look at a few of the major players at the Cadet level entailing the cheating scandal and prepare our audience for even more exposure regarding the extensive cover-up efforts of the cheating scandal and the role of LSP top brass and key individual Troop supervisors thereof to be outlined in future installments.
About six weeks ago, we were provided with this November 18, 2019 internal memorandum from LSP Lieutenant David Ryerson to former LSP Captain Mark Richards and associated email chain thereof. It names many of the members of LSP Cadet Class 99 and their alleged culpability in the massive cheating scandal. Let’s begin to itemize the magnitude of the scandal and then provide individual profiles for some of the Cadets and active Troopers and outline their alleged roles in the cheating scandal. We’ll also include other relevant information we’ve been able to obtain through extensive interviews with multiple individuals with direct first-hand knowledge of the cheating scandal.
First, let’s take a look at the sheer magnitude of the cheating scandal. From the preceding linked November 18, 2019 document and ensuing emails which it generated:
From: David Ryerson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 11:10 AM
To: Mark Richards <[email protected]>; Patrick Jackson (DPS) <[email protected]>; Clay Reavis
<[email protected]>
Subject: Class 99 Cheating Recovery RecommendationAs we are all aware, the cadets in Class 99 participated in in widespread cheating. Several cadets had a copy of
our Final Exam, as well as copies of all other exams. Because it is clear that they had the stolen material from the start, there is no doubt that many of them simply paid little attention during class. In fact, when looking at their MDTs, we saw that some spent a lot of their classroom time chatting with family members online. I question how much these cadets actually learned during this time.
Wow! Pretty damning, no? So, not only did these Cadets have the final exam in their possession “from the start,” but moreover having such possession of the final exam from the outset permitted them to essentially sleep walk through their classes! The effects of this cheating upon the public at large has been profound as we’ll gradually demonstrate in future installments. First, however, let’s take a look at individual Cadets going in reverse order from those identified as being most culpable to least. As we itemize this list, however, bear in mind that the Training Academy staff was permitted to investigate the scandal only for a week before LSP top brass ordered the whole matter transferred to IA where the cover-up efforts began in earnest and were quite extensive. Now let’s begin the itemization:
Cadet Michael Starling (no photo available):
• We located an online chat with his wife that says. “Just took the test.. it was the same one I got from [fellow Cadet and Class 99 President Garrett] Yetman. Thank God he place (sic) them guys around me .. they got a bunch of people freaking out.”
He appears to be referencing the “Domestic & Family Matters” exam on 09/27/2019. He received an 83.37% on the exam.
We can only assume Starling missed about one question in six “just to make it look good.” Here is a screenshot from the online chat referenced above and the references to Starling:
All right. Let’s proceed on to the Cadet elected Class President by his peers. We can only assume when you provide your classmates with the final exam and with disgraced former LSP Chief of Staff Doug Cain stating, “I’m so thankful to God for introducing Garrett Yetman into my life,” that you’ll be pretty darn popular among this motley crew of frauds:
Cadet Garrett Yetman:
• See the above entry for Cadet Starling, who implicates Yetman,
Now, we want to make darn sure our audience gets a crystal-clear vision of this Yetman character, so here’s a little extra guidance as well as some meaningful follow-up on just whom LSP deems worthy of patrolling our Interstates and upon whom disgraced former LSP Chief of Staff Doug Cain would heap such tremendous praise, adoration, and seemingly bizarre words. Ah, heck! Let’s take a closer look even within this feature (compliments of the fine folks at WAFB News):
WAFB News feature on LSP Troope Garrett Yetman’s bond after arrest being set at $350,000 and a fellow LSP Trooper indicating he “fears for his life,” if Yetman is released from jail.
Now, as we’ve pointed out before, Ms. Belinda Parker-Brown has a real issue with LSP Troopers such as Yetman obtaining a lengthy “taxpayer-funded vacation” while LSP’s IA Division sorts out alleged actions of someone like Yetman, but as previously demonstrated, Yetman had little difficulty (actually none) getting his “taxpayer-funded vacation” while this all sorts out. As we’ve stated many times, this is why LSP is badly broken.
What needs to transpire is that, just as is the case in the private sector, when a trooper engages in such behavior, termination is immediate with no recourse whatsoever.
What that would mean is abolishing the Louisiana State Police Commission and eliminating civil service protection completely for LSP Troopers. That would make the agency just like local Sheriff offices across this state. That, in turn, would free up Troopers and their associations to make tons of political contributions (for which they’re suing to engage anyway), and cause the agency to be much more accountable to the public just like local Sheriffs. [Sidebar: A third EBRP Deputy was also immediately fired for alleged payroll improprieties.]
Okay. On to the next Cadet implicated in the cheating scandal:
Cadet Christopher Sink (no photo available):
• Has all of the POST Lesson Plans (Instructor versions).
• Has “POST Review” file emailed from Tpr. Jake Voisine. This appears to be a copy of the POST Exam. This came from Tpr. Max Verrett.
• Has “Specialized Activities Review 021518” file emailed to him by Obed Marte. This appears to be a re-created Specialized Activities exam.
• He has so much information that was passed around during Cadet Class 97 that it’s hard to even track.
• Admitted that he shared all of his old notes (including tests) with who wanted it.
• Said, “Sir, I realize I might get fired for this,”
• Admitted his classmates copied exams with a snipping or Control C during online exam.
It’s interesting that then-Cadet Sink would say, “Sir, I realize I may get fired for this.” Why? Because that is what a respectable State Police force should and would do the same way Georgia State Police did in firing the ENTIRE Cadet class for a cheating incident transpiring almost simultaneously with LSP’s cheating scandal. Interestingly enough, Georgia State Police handled their cheating scandal by firing ALL of the cadets even though their cheating scandal appears far, far less broad and deep as LSPs.
[Editor’s Note & UPDATE (July 6, 2022 @ 5:03 p.m.)]:
We were contacted by one of our key sources after initial publication of this feature and notified that Cadet Christopher Sink actually was fired as a result of his role in the cheating scandal. Reportedly, this was his third attempt to complete the LSP Academy with him having flunked out the two prior times. We were informed that there, “were only two Cadets who were fired and not brought back, and Sink is one of the two.”
In fact, one member of the LSP Training Academy reportedly went to LSP’s upper brass and placed the just-linked article right in front of them and said, “THIS is how you handle a widespread cheating scandal!”
The upper brass’s response?: “Well, that’s not the way we’ll be handling it.” Of course not! Rather than restoring even a modicum of respectability to the badly-shattered image of LSP, the upper brass would of course be perfectly content to just further contaminate the entire LSP force! It makes perfect sense for the gaggle of goons operating, managing and overseeing an agency that is nothing short of a criminal enterprise, no?
Here is a screenshot applicable for Sink:
But, of course, he has to return to class to ensure other Cadets don’t go without a final exam! Given the hell-bent nature of IA (along with, and in particularly with disgraced former Chief of Staff Doug Cain, and other top brass) to completely alter the narrative of just what all went on at that Academy regarding the cheating when they went public with a January, 2021 press release which could have best been used to line a bird cage, it stands to reason that an alleged cheater must return to class because LSP’s top brass and their immediate underlings were completely and totally indifferent regarding whether a single Cadet legitimately passed the class or the final exam based upon his or her own merit and initiative.
Okay. Onward and upward. Here’s the next LSP Cadet Fraud to graduate the Academy and have a badge slapped on his uniform:
Cadet David Lowe (no photo available):
• Has virtually every LSP Exam: LSP Final Exam, All POST Exams, Taser, and SSGT Photocopy.
• The LSP Final Exam is a printed answer key that can only be generated through the testing system by an instructor. It is very likely that this was picked up from someone’s desk in the Training Academy offices. This could have been anyone who has passed through including interns, current Troopers, Duty Officers, or
civilian staff.
Again, just not a whole lot we can add except to express stunned disbelief that LSP top brass and IA knew every bit of this and much more, and yet they perpetrated a complete fraud upon the citizens of the State of Louisiana when they turned these fraudsters loose to patrol our highways and furthermore produced a completely false narrative of the nature of the cheating scandal for dissemination to the public and gullible members of the news media to swallow hook, line, and sinker!
Okay. On the the next fine “graduate” of LSP Cadet Class 99:
Cadet Brandon Jinks (no photo available):
• Photocopy of LSP Final
• Word documents dating to 2014. Every test for every subject.
But, of course, can’t leave any subject out. One has to make sure he or she has EVERY test for EVERY subject!
Now on the the next one:
Cadet Andrew Hern (no photo available):
• Notes from Trooper Zavier Martin.
• Copy of Elective Exam created in 2018.
• Copy of Traffic Services Exam dating to 2015.
• Derogatory comments from Zavier Martin regarding ST Shannon Simpson.
Sergeant Simpson was one of three troopers assigned away from the Training Academy in the wake of the scandal. With the inmates obviously being in charge of the asylum (as a result NOT of the Training Academy Staff but rather their superiors who saw to it that this whole sordid scandal was covered up), it’s little wonder Martin felt he could easily get away with making derogatory comments about Simpson.
On to the next one:
Cadet Nicholas Rowell (no photo available):
• Emailed the current Taser exam to all other cadets. This version of the exam cannot be located online (there are only older versions). It had to have come from a Taser instructor (who could work for any agency).
o All cadets received this email. Many (but not all) saved the files to their desktop.
Well, so much for the integrity of the Taser exam! Maybe being able to just memorize responses has played a role over the years causing what certainly appears to be a very obvious excessive application of the taser in the Ronald Greene arrest. After all, it appears the Cadets certainly didn’t have to focus much on learning the techniques and limitations entailing taser guns.
On to the next one:
Cadet Peggy Jennings (no photo available):
• Told Cadet Small by text that she had an answer key, but didn’t want to send it out en masse.
Why not? It’s not like anyone else is being shy! So now we have an ability to merely memorize the answer key which may lead to a lack of need to even read the questions on the final examination! Is LSP a “great” agency comprised of “fantastic men and women” of high integrity as Col. Davis has openly touted in the last few months, or what? Davis undoubtedly believes every citizen of this state continues to drink the Kool Aid from the picture he keeps pouring it out of!
Time for the next one:
Cadet Tomas Quintero (no photo available):
• Has “legal study material” file. This is what someone remembered was on the test.
• Has email from Cadet Small where she asked, “He got it open?” and he said, “Naw.”
• No Taser files saved.
Obviously, we’re starting to go down the ladder of severity now. Too bad he apparently wasn’t able to open the file.
Next….
Cadet Brandon Blackburn:
• Has a copy of the Taser Exam saved to his desktop.
We’ll only point out that Blackburn is the son of former long-time LSP Legal Counsel, the late Frank Blackburn.
We’re not going to list the remaining names on the Cadet Class because the memorandum indicates little to no evidence of cheating materials being present during the ONE-WEEK that the Training Academy staff was afforded the opportunity to investigate. After that one-week of investigative activities, the entire matter was transferred to LSP’s IA Division wherein our sources inform us that the dual coverups of the Training Academy cheating scandal and the in-custody death of Ronald Greene became top priorities.
The report also highlights active troopers who assisted the Cadets in efforts to cheat on the examinations. Here are those active troopers identified:
Current Troopers:
In addition to the Class 99 cadets, several current Troopers who assisted with the passing exam information.
Trooper Jake N. Voisine
• February 19, 2018: emailed POST Review” file to his cadet class. This appears to be a copy of the POST Exam.
o Sent to Cadet Sink, who saved it.Trooper Max Verrett
• March 17, 2018: emailed “review” file to the cadet class. It says, “Didn’t get full questions, just key words and paraphrasing.”Trooper Adam Wentzel:
• We were told that Wentzel was involved in passing exams to the Troop D cadets. I believe Lt Marie learned this when he was involved in the initial cadet interviews at Internal Affairs.
Wentzel was far from alone entailing upper brass at Troop D entailing the cheating scandal, but we’ll save that for a future installment.
As we begin to close this Installment One of this special feature on the LSP Training Academy Cheating Scandal (LSPTACS), we’d be remiss if we did not point out the fact that retired LSP Lt. Leon “Bucky” Millet made an extensive public records request in January of 2021 upon him obtaining first-hand information about the true nature of the LSPTACS vs. the horse manure version which Doug Cain and Company published to the public at the same time as Millet’s request. In fact, Millet intentionally waited until the official horse manure version, which he immediately recognized as being comprised of total manure, was issued by LSP before making his extensive public records request.
Not surprisingly, LSP’s then-Legal Counsel, Faye Morrison, who is now known to be neck deep in the Ronald Greene cover-up and had her own very unique role in the LSPTACS and running interference to actively block the public from ever obtaining the truth about either matter, denied the vast majority of Millet’s requests on one ground or another.
Because Sound Off Louisiana founder, Robert Burns, had his own teeth sunk squarely into the problems in the LSP Air Support Unit at the time of Millet’s investigations on the Training Academy (and we’ll soon have more to report on that ongoing saga at Air Support), Burns made no effort whatsoever to even try to delve into Millet’s efforts on the LSPTACS. After all, Morrison was busy giving Burns the runaround on his own public records requests on the operations of Air Support, likely because her husband, Mark Morrison, had largely misled the Louisiana State Police Commission into lowering the number of flight hours required for promotions so that the Head of Air Support, Steven Lee, could award such positions to close friends rather than the most qualified applicant.
Needless to say, Millet is very displeased to now know that documents backing up the activities of the LSPTACS were very readily accessible for Morrison to provide to Millet, and that she just chose instead to stonewall him and give him the runaround. In the end, however, as we gradually expose the magnitude of the LSPTACS, Morrison and other supervisory personnel are only going to look even worse than they already do in the public eye.
As we now prepare to wrap up Installment One of this feature, let us conclude be refreshing everyone on a little history:
===> On April 17, 2019, Reynard Green was arrested for helping himself to a night’s sleep on the sofa at the Governor’s Mansion and engaging in other problematic behavior while there.
===> Nine (9) months later, Gov. Edwards promoted the first African-American female to Captain, Treone Larvadain, to be the Head of Protective Services. She is the niece of State Rep. Ed Larvadain (D-Alexandria). In 2018, Larvadain had been promoted to Lieutenant at Internal Affairs. Hence, she was in IA during the critical weeks after the cheating scandal had been transferred to that Division.
===> According to several key sources without whom this feature would not be possible, Larvadain and Gov. Edwards’ wife, Donna, formed a strong bond and friendship during Larvadain’s tenure overseeing Gov. Edwards’ and his family’s security.
===> On May 19, 2021, Larvadain transferred back to Internal Affairs (coincidentally the very day before AP reporter Jim Mustian released graphic videos of the Ronald Greene arrest and in-custody death) to serve as “Commander of Internal Affairs.” That fact is demonstrated in the first 20 seconds of this July 8, 2021 audio recording at the LSPC. Our sources have said that Larvadain was sent to Internal Affairs for the sole purpose of serving as the “eyes and ears” of Gov. Edwards in that Internal Affairs Department and, again, we can’t help but note the incredible timing of Larvadain’s transfer back to Internal Affairs to serve as “Commander.” Some of the individuals with whom we spoke for this feature indicated to us that working in IA became “quite stressful” with the knowledge of the closeness of Larvadain with Louisiana’s Governor and First Lady, not to mention the fact that Larvadain’s uncle is a State Representative.
===> Larvadain also reportedly served as supervisor over her own daughter, Tiah Larvadain, with the mother-daughter duo obtaining significant notoriety as the first such duo in LSP history. That arrangement would seem to be a particularly inappropriate working relationship, but we’ve learned with this particular Governor, anything goes! We can only assume, however, that Gov. Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards have been well-pleased with Larvadain’s performance given that she was recently promoted once again, this time to Major over the Bureau of Investigations.
When Gov. Edwards first occupied the Governor’s Mansion, we saw a number of posts by conservative bloggers and radio hosts entailing how “over his head” Edwards was as Governor with posts like, “Country comes to town,” etc. We have held a far different view of Edwards and believe he is likely the shrewdest, most politically-savvy occupant the Governor’s Mansion has ever had in our lifetimes.
Why do we say that? Well, one good reason is that, when you know you have major corruption in multiple areas of LSP, what better way to create a diversion from those problematic areas than to have the mainstream media go goggle-ga-do-ga by creating the media circus over that first African-American mother-daughter duo in LSP history, thus diverting any attention away from the areas and core problems you know you’ll ensure those same folk are responsible for overseeing (e.g. “Commander of Internal Affairs”)?
The only problem with that strategy, if indeed Edwards was smart enough to deploy it (and we firmly believe he was), is that the LSP cancer is now so deadly that it has metastasized to the point that even the greatest of cover-up plans are now all collapsing all around Edwards!
After all, for a Governor who, “Does not lie, CHEAT, steal, nor tolerate those who do,” Edwards, as “LA-One” (i.e. the Commander in Chief of Louisiana State Police, above whom there is no higher authority), sure has “tolerated” a ton of “cheating” as exposed in this feature, no?
Let us conclude this Installment One with a couple of quotes from disgraced former LSP Col. Kevin Reeves, who in a video at the Graduation of Cadet Class 99 said, “This is one of the finest classes of Cadets to ever graduate from the LSP Academy!” WOW! Reeves actually said that KNOWING what all has been reported in this feature and far more we expect to report upon in future installments. If Cadet Class 99 is “one of the finest,” we’d sure hate to see the composition of some of the “bottom of the barrel” Cadet classes!
Also, regarding Treone Larvadain’s daughter, Tiah Larvadain’s graduating class (Cadet Class 98). Here’s what Reeves had to say:
“They really buckled down and did what they had to do. They really earned the right to be Louisiana state troopers,” Superintendent Kevin Reeves said.
Our sources tell us the word “earned” just may not be the exact right choice of words for Reeves to have used as they indicate the LSPTACS went back to “at least” the prior four Cadet classes (which would certainly include Cadet Class 98).
Accordingly, Installment Two of the LSPTACS will focus on supervisors’ roles in the cheating scandal and other pertinent facts which seem particularly germane to the heavy cost this scandal has taken on:
#1) Trooper morale;
#2) financial costs to taxpayers of lawyers having to be hired to defend civil suits filed against Troopers who were recommended never to wear LSP badges in the first place;
#3) the costs of settlements of such cases (with one case in particular having a mind-blowing number being expected to be paid out from what we’re told);
and
#4) the human toll inflicted upon some citizens of this state who have seen their lives turned upside down and forever changed by the actions of some of these so-called “LSP Finest Troopers.”
Of course, our ability to enlighten the public hinges at least to some extent upon LSP not stonewalling our soon-to-come public records requests efforts.
Given all the extreme focus on “protecting LSP Troopers’ right to privacy” of which the agency recently succeeded in defending our public records lawsuit against LSP, our task may be made more difficult.
Nevertheless, just as with the Memorandum and email chain above which was recently just plopped in our laps, we can certainly foresee further “plops” going forward. Why? Because many active Troopers are simply fed up with all of the rank corruption and cover-ups which have plagued LSP for far too long!
We hope everyone enjoyed a nice extended 4th of July weekend holiday, and we trust everyone will look forward to Installment Two of the LSPTACS. The date of release for that feature is not yet known and will hinge to a great extent on the degree to which LSP desires to continue its stonewalling and cover-up efforts as they’ve certainly earned a patent on engaging in such actions in the last few years. Regrettably, LSP’s actions in that regard have been very much to the detriment of Louisiana citizens.
In the meantime, however, criminal defense attorneys certainly may want to delve into the role any LSP Trooper who is also a recent LSP Training Academy graduate may have played in the arrest and prosecution of their clients as it appears the credibility of those Troopers may be annihilated once their roles in the LSPTACS are made public in open court!
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