Former Police Officer and Police Union President in Louisiana Pleads Guilty to Stealing Funds and Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud

Louisiana – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Harold W. Sanford, Jr., 52, of Bossier City, Louisiana, appeared before United States District Judge Donald E. Walter on October 26, 2022, and pleaded guilty to charges related to his recent arrest and involvement in stealing funds from the Bossier City Police Union and obtaining controlled substances by fraud.

Sanford was arrested on August 26, 2022, as a consequence of a criminal complaint accusing him of illegally acquiring controlled substance prescriptions. On September 13, 2022, Sanford and his co-defendant, Mitchell Morehead were accused by a federal grand jury of conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud, and distribution of a controlled substance. On October 20, 2022, a bill of information was filed charging Sanford with another count of conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States. Today, he entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States and one count of obtaining controlled substances by fraud.

Sanford was a Sergeant with the Bossier City Police Department and the President of the International Union of Police Associations’ Bossier City Police Local 645, according to evidence given in court (Bossier Police Union). Morehead, Sanford’s co-defendant, worked as a fundraiser for the Bossier Police Union and reported directly to him. An investigation by FBI agents discovered that Morehead would collect money from local companies and individuals by claiming to be raising funds for the charitable objectives of the Bossier Police Union. While acting as President of the Bossier Police Union, Sanford committed to give Morehead 50% of all compensation payments collected.

Sanford would hand over checks made payable to Morehead to tellers at the bank where the Bossier Police Union account was housed, and then pay Morehead in cash. These checks were endorsed in Morehead’s name but written by Sanford. Sanford would occasionally keep all or some of the money from these checks. Employees at the bank finally informed Sanford that he could no longer cash checks payable to Morehead in the absence of Morehead. Following that, Sanford would make checks for an inflated amount, have Morehead endorse them, then take Morehead to the bank branch’s drive-through lane to cash them. Sanford would then keep a portion of the money and give the rest to Morehead.

When Sanford took over payments to Morehead for the Bossier Police Union in July 2020, the percentage of money sent to Morehead climbed from roughly 50% to nearly 75% of the charitable contributions collected. This method resulted in a loss of $31,740.

The FBI also discovered during their investigation that Sanford got prescription medicines fraudulently, including hydrocodone and oxycodone, with the assistance of Morehead. Sanford drove Morehead to the office of Individual A, a Shreveport physician, on August 22, 2022. Morehead allegedly stated to Individual A that he required a Schedule II controlled substance and received a prescription for Percocet 10-325 mg. Individual A reimbursed Sanford for Morehead’s office visit. Following that, Morehead filled the prescription and gave Sanford 23 Percocet pills.

For conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States, Sanford faces up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces up to four years in prison for obtaining controlled substances by fraud. Sentencing will take place on February 24, 2023, at 11:15 a.m.

The FBI investigated the case, and Alexander C. Van Hook, Special Counsel to the United States Attorney, prosecuted it.