SHREVEPORT, La. – Jeffrey L. Peters, 55, a former Shreveport Police Department officer, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, as announced by United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. The guilty plea hearing, presided over by United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby, took place in the United States District Court.
Peters, while serving as a Lieutenant with the Shreveport Police Department, was authorized to work overtime under the Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Program, a U.S. Department of Justice-administered grant program offering 1.5 times the normal hourly rate for overtime.
Court information revealed that between January 2020 and January 2021, Peters and another supervisor (Officer 1) engaged in a scheme defrauding the department. They falsely claimed overtime for unworked hours by mutually certifying and submitting Reports of Overtime and SPD activity reports. These reports incorrectly indicated that they were patrolling in District 3, an area near SPD Headquarters.
Peters submitted over 50 fraudulent Reports of Overtime and Activity Reports, unlawfully receiving a total of $13,084.74 in unearned overtime pay, deposited into his personal account.
Facing a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, Peters’ sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2024.