Six Years of Illegal Privilege, Custodial Collapse, and the Largest Falsified Count Scheme in Louisiana History

A Heart of Webster investigation has uncovered a massive, long-running custodial breakdown involving Sheriff Jason Parker and state inmate Carlton Church, a convicted killer serving a 30-year sentence. Evidence confirms that Church was not housed in a dorm or cell inside Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center for years. Instead, he lived freely in an unsecured outbuilding, drove a marked sheriff’s patrol vehicles, had access to police radios, any weapons accidentally stored in the patrol vehicle, and a patrol-car laptop, entered a federal military installation, traveled unsupervised throughout the parish, and regularly used a personal cellphone that Sheriff Parker knowingly allowed him to possess.

To conceal this arrangement, the Sheriff’s Office recorded more than 10,020 falsified inmate counts, each one marking Church as “present” inside the jail despite his unrestricted freedom. This constitutes one of the largest falsified records schemes in Louisiana history.

The evidence establishes a deliberate, systemic collapse of jail operations, raising unprecedented public-safety, officer-safety, and national-security concerns.

WHAT THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED

A Secret, Illegal Housing Setup

Church was not kept in any lawful DOC-approved facility. Instead, he lived alone in a small building at the Sheriff’s Auto Center—an unsecured space with:

• No corrections staff during non-business hours

• No visible cameras

• Access to tools, equipment, and vehicles

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• He is assigned to the work release program but does not live in the dorm.

• Zero supervision

This arrangement violated every custody requirement for a violent offender.

Driving a Sheriff’s Patrol Vehicle

Photos and witness accounts confirm that Church operated a fully marked Webster Parish patrol unit, giving him access to, but not limited to:

• Active police radios

• A mobile data computer capable of accessing state and federal law enforcement networks

• Possible access to secured weapons if stored inside the unit

Allowing a convicted killer this level of law enforcement equipment access represents one of the most severe security breaches possible.

Personal Cellphone Allowed by the Sheriff

Church possessed and regularly used a personal cellphone, which is prohibited contraband for any inmate. The critical fact:

The phone was NOT sheriff-issued — but Sheriff Parker approved and allowed Church to keep and use it.

Under Louisiana and federal law:

• Inmates cannot possess cellphones under any circumstances.

• A sheriff cannot legally “approve” an inmate to have contraband.

• Allowing an inmate to keep a cellphone is treated as providing contraband, a federal felony.

This approval directly violates state malfeasance laws and federal contraband statutes.

Unlawful Entry Onto Camp Minden Military Base

Church entered and exited Camp Minden—a federal installation—while unlawfully outside of custody. This constitutes:

• A federal escape offense

• A breach of federal security protocols

• Unauthorized access to a military facility

10,020+ Falsified Count Sheets

For six years, Church was counted as present in the jail during every DOC-required morning, evening, and emergency count.

Every false count is a separate felony offense.

VERIFIED TIMELINE

October 10, 2025 – 10:07 AM

Church arrives at Eddie’s Truck Stop, driving a marked sheriff’s patrol unit. He enters the store alone, makes purchases, returns to the patrol vehicle, and drives away completely unsupervised.

October 24, 2025

Evidence is provided to state and federal officials.

October 29, 2025

Inspector General verbally acknowledges the report but never issues the required written documentation.

November 14 & 20, 2025

Follow-up calls to DOC go unanswered.

November 25, 2025

The matter is escalated to the Governor, Attorney General, and legislative leaders.

November 25, 2025 – Meeting with Rep. Wayne McMahen

A meeting is scheduled to discuss the violations and lack of action.

LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE RAISES NEW CONCERNS

During the meeting with Representative Wayne McMahen, attendees report:

• He stated he is a close personal friend of Sheriff Jason Parker.

• He stated he did not want to pursue impeachment or any action that could negatively affect Parker.

• When asked what oversight steps should be taken, he said he did not know what to do besides “talk to a lawyer.”

• He offered no plan, no guidance, and no willingness to take legislative action.

While there is no indication McMahen is participating in the illegal activity, his refusal to act—after being fully informed—has the practical effect of shielding Sheriff Parker from accountability. This leaves Webster Parish without the legislative oversight required by Louisiana law and intensifies concerns over conflicts of interest.

As a result, calls for independent state and federal intervention have grown significantly.

LAWS VIOLATED

STATE VIOLATIONS

• Malfeasance in Office — Allowing illegal privileges, failing to maintain custody

• Improper Release / Escape — Inmate living outside secure confinement

• Unauthorized Use of a Movable — Patrol vehicle and police equipment

• False Public Records — 10,020+ falsified count sheets

• Criminal Conspiracy — Coordinated unlawful privileges

FEDERAL VIOLATIONS

• Contraband to an Inmate — Allowing a cellphone counts as supplying contraband

• Federal Escape / Aiding Escape — Entry onto military property while unlawfully released

• Obstruction / False Statements — Falsified custody records

• Computer Fraud and Abuse Act — Access or potential access to law-enforcement systems

• Unauthorized Entry to a Military Installation

• Misuse of Government Property

The combined exposure for Sheriff Parker exceeds multiple decades in prison, not including the thousands of false-records counts.

Church faces an additional 30–50 years on top of his current sentence.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR WEBSTER PARISH

The evidence confirms:

• A convicted killer lived freely for years.

• Law-enforcement equipment was placed in his control.

• Federal security was breached.

• Count records were falsified on a massive scale.

• A local legislator declined to act due to personal friendship with the sheriff.

This is not a clerical error.
This is not a misunderstanding.
This is a systemic collapse of legal custody and public-office integrity.

Verdict 

The Church–Parker scandal represents one of the most severe public-safety failures ever documented in Webster Parish. Sheriff Parker’s actions dismantled lawful custody, enabled federal security breaches, and triggered thousands of felony violations. Rep. Wayne McMahen’s refusal to act has further undermined public trust and left the parish without the legislative oversight required by law.

The evidence is now public. The violations are clear.
Immediate state and federal intervention is no longer optional—it is necessary.

All individuals named are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty through the judicial process.