LaRose Man Pleads Guilty to Misuse of a Coast Guard License

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that STEVEN BOURG, 51, of LaRose, Louisiana, pled guilty today to misuse of a federal license.

According to court documents, on or about October 10, 2012, the Coast Guard received information from Daigle Towing in Belle Chase, Louisiana, that BOURG had been hired by Daigle Towing to captain the uninspected towing vessel (UTV) Mason Ray but that BOURG had been found asleep while on watch.  The Coast Guard checked the Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement database and found that since 2007 when he had voluntarily surrendered the license, BOURG had not possessed a merchant mariner license as issued by the Coast Guard and as required to captain a towing vessel.

The investigation revealed that BOURG submitted an altered merchant mariner license with his application to Daigle Towing.  The license was in the name of BOURG, but listed the issuance date as January 2009 and the expiration date as January 2014.  BOURG had not been issued a license nor had his license renewed in January 2009.  As a result of BOURG’s submission of the altered license, he had been employed by Daigle Towing from September 19, 2012, until September 25, 2012.  Prior to being employed by Daigle Towing, BOURG had used the altered license to apply and get employment with Triple C Towing, LLC, in Houma, Louisiana.  BOURG applied to Triple C Towing on or about July 19, 2011, and ended his employment on or about February 1, 2012.

U.S. District Court Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt scheduled sentencing for February 4, 2015.  BOURG faces a maximum of five years imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Coast Guard Investigative Service’s work on this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Greenfield prosecuted the case.