Former Shreveport Police Department officer indicted for overtime pay scam

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - A former lieutenant with the Shreveport Police Department has now been indicted by a federal grand jury for an overtime pay fraud scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice reports.

Jeffrey Peters, 55, was indicted and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. The DOJ says the indictment alleges that on or around Jan. 6, 2020, and continuing through at least Jan. 19, 2021, Peters and others conspired to defraud the city of money designated for paying SPD officers. Peters reportedly claimed overtime pay for hours he had not worked and received payments for unworked overtime hours as part of the Community-Based Crime Reduction Program.

The indictment says Peters and another SPD officer fraudulently got this money by creating and submitting false overtime reports to SPD. Peters reportedly submitted more than 50 false reports about working overtime hours. The indictment further says Peters was claiming overtime hours in District 3, while he was instead out at various bars and restaurants outside of District 3.

If convicted, Peters faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

CRIME IN THE ARKLATEX