U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that TRINA MARIE BOURG, age 45, of Houma, was charged today in a five-count Superseding Indictment for crimes involving the solicitation of illegal payments from undocumented clients and their family members.
According to court records, on May 7, 2014, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI") received information that BOURG, who worked as a Spanish language interpreter contract employee for the Office of the District Defender for the 32nd Judicial District for Terrebonne Parish, was soliciting illegal payments from undocumented clients. Unknown to the clients’ attorneys, BOURG represented to the clients that she would use the money she received to bribe United States Immigration Officials in order to remove the immigration detainers or federal immigration charges from the clients’ criminal or administrative cases.
In 2011, and again in 2014, BOURG solicited illegal payments totaling more than $5,000 from Client “A" and his family members. The Indictment alleges BOURG employed threats and intimidation to coerce the family members into paying BOURG.
The Indictment also alleges that for a payment of $12,000 to $20,000, BOURG offered to marry one of her clients in order to improve his immigration status.
It is important to note that no federal immigration officials have been implicated in this investigation, nor is it believed that any federal officials were complicit in BOURG’s crimes. BOURG was originally indicted in August 2014.
If convicted, BOURG faces a term of incarceration of up to twenty years and a fine of $250,000 per count. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set a trial date on July 27, 2015, before United States District Judge Susie Morgan.
U. S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Superseding Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security-HSI (McAllen, TX and Houma, LA offices), the Louisiana State Police-Criminal Investigation Division, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Fraud Unit Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marquest Meeks.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
