BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A small-town police chief in Louisiana was convicted after taking money seized in narcotics investigations and stealing a family’s COVID-19 stimulus money, leaving them homeless, officials said Monday.
A jury last week found Mitch Bratton guilty of malfeasance in office, felony theft and possession of controlled dangerous substances, the state Attorney General’s office said in a
It is unclear if Bratton is currently serving as chief of police. Officials for Grayson or the village's police department could not immediately be reached for comment.
While serving as chief of police, Bratton was personally responsible for more than $10,000 in narcotics funds that went missing between 2016 and 2019, the release said.
Additionally, Bratton was convicted on one count of felony theft related to monies taken from a mother and son during the course of an arrest.
“That money was their COVID stimulus and had been set aside for home expenses. As a result of this theft, that family was unable to pay their bills, lost their home, and are still homeless to this day,” the press release stated.
During a search of his vehicle, State Police found Xanax and Suboxone loose inside — evidence from other drug cases that had not been documented, the Attorney General's office said.
