East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole was indicted on felony corruption charges Wednesday, hours before more than 30,000 district students returned to class for the first day of school.
A special grand jury in the 19th Judicial District Court returned the indictment, charging Cole, 52, with two counts of conspiracy to commit public bribery, two counts of money laundering ā including one count involving $20,000 or more ā and one count of malfeasance in office. Contractors Terral "TJ" Jackson and his wife, Erica Jackson, were indicted alongside him on the bribery conspiracy counts.
The charges stem from Cole's prior tenure as Mayor Pro Tempore, the top leadership post on the East Baton Rouge Metro Council, and cover alleged conduct between Aug. 10, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2024. Cole left the council in 2024 to become superintendent of the parish's public school system. Officials with both the school district and the Attorney General's office have said the charges are not connected to his conduct as superintendent.
Part of a Widening Probe
Cole is the ninth person charged in Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's ongoing corruption investigation into Baton Rouge city-parish government, which grew out of a probe into contracts tied to the Capital Area Transit System (CATS). Other officials charged this year include Metro Council member Cleve Dunn Jr., indicted in January on nine felony counts including public contract fraud and theft, who pleaded not guilty in July; and Courtney Scott, a former top staffer under then-Mayor Sharon Weston-Broome, indicted in February alongside contractor Veronica Mathis on charges tied to nearly $200,000 in alleged kickbacks.
The Timing
Word of the investigation had circulated for weeks before the indictment became public. On July 28, the school district sent staff a statement acknowledging "recent reports regarding Superintendent LaMont Cole and an ongoing investigation," urging employees to "remain calm" and "avoid speculation."
Wednesday morning, before the indictment was made public, Cole addressed roughly 6,000 school district employees at the district's annual back-to-school convocation. "I am currently experiencing one of the most challenging times of my life," he told the audience, without detailing the legal matter.
Reaction
Cole issued a statement Wednesday night denying wrongdoing, calling the indictment a "miscarriage of justice based on association, not attestation, and proximity to potential crimes without proof." He said he would comply with all legal requests and expressed confidence the legal system would "swiftly recognize this for what it is" and "fully vindicate" him. His attorney, David Rozas, declined to comment further on the charges.
East Baton Rouge Parish School Board President Shashonnie Steward and Vice President Cliff Lewis issued a joint statement saying the district stands "firmly behind Mr. Cole as he navigates this matter," while noting they were speaking in their personal capacities rather than on behalf of the full board.
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards said in a statement: "I believe every person accused of a crime is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the full protections of due process. Allegations should be decided in a court of law, not in the court of public opinion." Edwards added that while the alleged conduct predates his administration, "my responsibility is to ensure the people of East Baton Rouge Parish have complete" confidence in their government.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Cole. As of Wednesday afternoon, he had not yet reported to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for booking. Cole has not entered a plea and, like all defendants, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Sources
Additional reporting from WBRZ.