U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JEFFERY B. MONTALBANO, age 58, a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to a one-count bill of information with making false statements to federal authorities, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1001(a)(2).
According to court documents, MONTALBANO was the president of an entity called “JBM OIL SALES" and from about February 2013 to April 2018 worked for the Office of the District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District as an investigator in the domestic violence unit. While employed as an investigator, MONTALBANO was responsible for collecting and preparing evidence in domestic violence investigations and trials and coordinating witness and victim testimony.
On Jan. 23, 2018, MONTALBANO met with a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 3601 Highway 190, Mandeville, Louisiana, within the Eastern District of Louisiana. This meeting was part of an investigation the FBI was conducting into approximately $20,000 paid by a defendant in a criminal matter pending in the 22nd Judicial District (“Defendant A") to MONTALBANO’S associate (“Person 1"). The investigation concerned the nature of the payment and whether MONTALBANO took official action to benefit Defendant A in an ongoing criminal matter in exchange for receiving the payment.
During the interview, MONTALBANO made numerous materially false statements and omissions related to the investigation in response to questions posed to him by FBI Special Agents. In particular, MONTALBANO said that neither he nor Person 1 had ever received money from Defendant A. He also said that he had no idea federal agents visited the Office of the District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District to investigate the allegations that MONTALBANO had received money from Defendant A in exchange for using his influence to benefit Defendant A. In truth, however, MONTALBANO knew that Defendant A gave Person 1 two checks in the amount of $10,000 each on Nov. 22, 2013 and Dec. 30, 2013, that Person 1 gave MONTALBANO checks for half the money he received from Defendant A on Nov. 26, 2013, and Dec. 30, 2013, and that FBI Special Agents had interviewed MONTALBANO’s colleagues on October 8, 2015. The false statements impeded FBI Special Agents from determining whether (1) payments from Defendant A were in exchange for beneficial action for Defendant A and whether (2) MONTALBANO communicated truthfully with his supervisors.
“Former St. Tammany Parish DA Investigator Jeff Montalbano lied multiple times to FBI Agents who were seeking to learn why he accepted $10,000, through an intermediary, from a criminal defendant who was facing sentencing in a case brought by Mr. Montalbano's own office. Mr. Montalbano's conviction sends a clear message that the FBI and the US Attorney's Office will not permit criminal investigations to be impeded by false statements, especially by those we entrust to uphold and enforce the law," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal.
MONTALBANO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. Sentencing before Judge Morgan was scheduled for February 6, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
