Mamou Police officer faces malfeasance charge over April Fool’s Day traffic stop

On Monday, the Evangeline Parish Sheriff Eddie Soileau released a statement regarding the recent arrest of Mamou Police officer Christopher Ryan Lemaire.
On April 6, Mamou Chief of Police Allen Noel contacted the sheriff’s Investigations Division requesting assistance with the misconduct of a police officer.
According to the press release, Noel informed the investigators that during a routine traffic stop, performed by Lemaire on April 1, “the officer received a verbal consent from the driver to search the vehicle.”
It was during that search that “Lemaire located an ounce of marijuana and a bong (pipe).”
The press release went on to state that “Lemaire confiscated the drug and paraphernalia,” and “then discarded the evidence prematurely, without authorization before processing it as evidence.”
According to the release, “the driver admitted to the possession of both items found, but no arrest was made.”
The investigators began looking into the matter, and “after a thorough and complete investigation, a warrant of arrest and affidavit was authored by the EPSO.”
The officer was arrested and booked into the parish jail on April 7 for malfeasance in office.
Lemaire was released from jail on a $25,000.00 bond that was set by Judge Chuck West.