FBI pays visit to St.Tammany Sheriff's Office

SLIDELL, LA (WVUE) - The FBI visited the Slidell offices of the St. Tammany sheriff today as their investigation into the activities of former sheriff Jack Strain moved forward.

The Feds were apparently seeking computer information related to their month-long probe of Strain's involvement with a halfway house program.

It's a program that has since been abolished. The visit by the veteran agent, who asked not to be identified, was the latest in an investigation that was first revealed last month when the FBI sent subpoenas to the St.Tammany Sheriff's Office.

The subpoenas were seeking any records, files, contracts or communications arising from the operations of a halfway house program called workforce solutions.

The agent spent less than a half hour inside the Slidell sheriff's headquarters and left with a small case believed to contain digital materials.

Sheriff Randy Smith put out a statement saying he does expect more subpoenas as the investigation into his predecessor continues.

The Halfway House program was terminated in July of 2016, when Smith became sheriff. That program was started by former Sheriff Strain. Four years ago, it was investigated by the state department of corrections after reports of mismanagement and drug overdoses surfaced.

The federal subpoena seeks information on Strain's involvement with four individuals who were principles in 'Workforce Solutions. They are Alan Tingle, Brandy Hanson, Jarret Keen and Ryan Palmer.

It also seeks records pertaining to payments of annual sick leaves to Strain.

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