By Cathy Chapman

LSN

KENTWOOD – Police Chief Greg Newton was charged Wednesday with malfeasance in office and obstruction of justice through tampering with evidence.

Newton has been under investigation by Louisiana State Police for the past several weeks over allegations of missing evidence (money).

The investigation began when a complaint was made to Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office concerning some money that was recovered from a home break-in in Kentwood.

Sheriff Daniel Edwards said that he turned the case over to Louisiana State Police.

According to reports, a Kentwood man discovered that the money from his home burglary was recovered by Pike County, Miss. authorities during an arrest. Pike County had sent the money to Kentwood Police Dept. to return to the victim.

When the victim attempted to get his money back, he discovered that it was short in an amount over $2,700 from the amount recovered. The victim claims that Chief Newton admitted borrowing some of the money to pay personal bills and that asked if he (Newton) could pay it back over time.

This is one of two ongoing investigations involving the Kentwood Police Department.