Houma Interpreter, Trina Marie Bourg, Indicted For Wire Fraud

U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. announced that TRINA MARIE BOURG, age 45, of Houma, Louisiana, was indicted today for crimes involving the solicitation of illegal bribes from immigrants and their family members.

According to court records, on May 7, 2014, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) received information that BOURG, who worked as a Spanish language interpreter contract employee for the Office of the District Defender for the 32nd Judicial District for Terrebonne Parish, was soliciting payments from individuals (“victims”) illegally present in the United States.  Unknown to the victims’ attorneys,  BOURG represented to the victims that she would use the money she received to bribe United States Immigration Officials in order to remove the immigration detainers or federal immigration charges from the victims’ criminal or administrative cases.  In 2011 and again in 2014, BOURG solicited two bribes totaling $4,000 from Victim “A” and his family members.  BOURG received a total of $3,500 from Victim “A’s” family member who paid BOURG because BOURG represented to the victim’s family members that she would use the money to influence federal immigration officials. 

If convicted, BOURG faces a term of incarceration of up to of twenty (20) years.

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

This case was investigated by special agents from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security-HSI, the Louisiana State Police-Criminal Investigation Division, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Fraud Unit Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.

(Download Indictment )