A Baton Rouge Police Department corporal has been arrested and charged with 40 felony counts after investigators say she repeatedly shared protected law enforcement information with unauthorized individuals, including a known drug dealer.
Attorney General Liz Murrill's Louisiana Bureau of Investigation arrested 41-year-old Joanell K. Robinson, of Zachary, on Aug. 4. She was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Correctional Center on 20 counts of trespass against state computers and 20 counts of malfeasance in office.
How the Case Started
The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation opened its case after receiving a request for assistance from the FBI, which had received allegations of official misconduct involving Robinson. Federal agents said Robinson, a corporal with the Baton Rouge Police Department, had disseminated protected law enforcement information to a known drug dealer and other individuals not authorized to access it.
Investigators said Robinson had been trained on the protected status of the law enforcement databases as a condition of gaining access to them.
What Investigators Say She Admitted
During an interview with FBI agents, Robinson admitted to accessing the databases and disseminating protected information to unauthorized individuals on approximately 10 to 20 separate occasions, according to the Attorney General's office.
On at least one of those occasions, investigators said, Robinson passed information to a known drug dealer who had been involved in a hit-and-run incident. That hit-and-run investigation reportedly remained open until Robinson's conduct was discovered.
Reaction
"Law enforcement databases exist to protect the public — not to tip off criminals," Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement. "I'd like to thank the FBI for their assistance in this investigation."
The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation was the primary investigating agency, with assistance from the FBI. Bond information was not available at the time of the announcement. The investigation is ongoing, and no additional charges or individuals have been announced. Robinson, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Part of a Busy Week for Baton Rouge Law Enforcement
Robinson's arrest is unrelated to the separate corruption indictment of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole, announced the same week. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's office has brought multiple public corruption and misconduct cases against Baton Rouge-area officials in 2026.
Sources:
Louisiana Office of the Attorney General — official press release