Former NOPD Sergeant Guilty of Six Counts of Wire Fraud for Double Billing and Billing for Time Not Worked

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TODD F. MORRELL (“MORRELL”), age 57, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to six (6) counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to defraud the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the New Orleans Fair Grounds, an entity that paid him to provide off-duty police details.

According to court documents, MORRELL was a NOPD Sergeant with NOPD’s Special Operations Division, serving both on a Tactical Platoon and the Bomb Disposal Unit.  He supplemented his NOPD income with security-oriented secondary employment (i.e., “police details”) while off-duty, including a detail with the New Orleans Fair Grounds Neighborhood Patrol (“Fair Grounds Patrol”).  The Fair Grounds Patrol was created by city ordinance to enhance police service around the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racecourse.  The Fair Grounds Patrol consisted of two patrol cars operating 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, with one off-duty NOPD officer per car.  MORRELL signed annual certifications attesting to his understanding of NOPD policies, including the secondary employment policy , and acknowledging that he would “actively monitor my hours” and would “not engage in activities or personal business which would cause them to neglect or be inattentive to duty.”

Notwithstanding these annual certifications, on numerous occasions between early 2017 and November 30, 2021, MORRELL submitted and certified timecards to NOPD and time sheets to the Fair Grounds Patrol,falsely claiming to have been on duty (for NOPD) and on detail (for the Fair Grounds Patrol) when, in actuality, MORRELL was not present for duty.  Instead, MORRELL engaged in personal, recreational activities unrelated to his work duties.  Often, MORRELL was engaged in recreational race car driving in Avondale, Louisiana, and Austin, Texas, while claiming to be on duty and on detail.  Additionally, MORRELL “double billed” NOPD and the Fair Grounds Patrol by submitting time sheets to both entities reflecting that he was working for both entities simultaneously.  The six counts to which MORRELL pled guilty, are representative examples of his scheme. These counts related to individual payments MORRELL received for submitting false and fraudulent time sheets for on duty and secondary employment shifts while a part of the Fair Grounds Patrol. The various dates he falsely claimed to work that constituted the six counts were: July 1, 2019, December 21, 2020, January 23, 2021, March 13, 2021, March 14, 2021, April 25, 2021, April 30, 2021, and October 23, 2021.

“When anyone commits fraud, our office will vet, investigate, and if warranted, prosecute,” stated United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.  “By pleading guilty today, Mr. Morrell admitted that he violated the public’s trust in his agency and position.  This investigation exemplified the strong partnership that exists between our office, the FBI, and the New Orleans Office of Inspector General.”

"Mr. Morrell abused his position of trust with this community and his role as a leader in the police department when he chose to steal from NOPD," said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of FBI New Orleans. "His actions served as a horrible example for other officers, but today's plea serves as a promise that the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office will pursue every single case to ensure justice is served.  We thank the New Orleans Inspector General's Office for their assistance in bringing this misconduct to light."