DeSoto Parish Grand Jury Weighs Charges Against Walter Lee

Criminal evidence against Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) member Walter Lee will go before a DeSoto Parish grand jury today.

DeSoto Parish District Attorney Richard Johnson said this is a case of double-billing between the DeSoto Parish School Board and BESE.

Johnson said Lee could face 10 years in prison if convicted of felony theft. The legislative auditors report was received a few weeks ago revealing the possibility of Lee's double billing of travel expenses.

However, Lee's attorney, Taylor Townsend, has said he doesn't think his client has done anything wrong.

Johnson said they also have evidence that Lee allegedly terminated his school system vehicle lease early and was able to profit off of it. It cost the school system around $10,000. That information was discovered in the audit.

[Louisiana Radio Network]