LaMont Cole Public Corruption Case

Under Texas law, a public official who takes cash or gifts in exchange for steering government contracts can face several overlapping felonies — bribery, abuse of official capacity, and money laundering — because the crime is not just the money but the misuse of the office itself. That is the Texas lens on a public-corruption case out of Louisiana, where a grand jury has indicted a sitting school superintendent and former elected official over an alleged contract-steering scheme.

What Is LaMont Cole Charged With?

According to reporting on the indictment, LaMont Cole — the East Baton Rouge Parish School System superintendent and a former Mayor Pro Tempore on the parish's Metro Council — turned himself in this month after a grand jury in the 19th Judicial District Court returned a true bill on public-corruption charges. Prosecutors charged Cole with two counts of conspiracy to commit public bribery, two counts of money laundering between $20,000 and $100,000, and one count of malfeasance in office. An affidavit alleges he accepted at least $40,000 in cash and gifts and used his elected influence to steer a private company nearly $600,000 in public contracts; two co-defendants were also indicted. Because this is a Louisiana case, nothing here predicts its outcome — but it is a useful window into how the same conduct would be charged in a Frisco or Dallas-Fort Worth courtroom.

How Does Texas Treat Bribery of a Public Servant?

In Texas, this conduct falls squarely under the bribery statute, Penal Code Section 36.02, which makes it a crime for a public servant to solicit, accept, or agree to accept any benefit in exchange for a decision, vote, recommendation, or other exercise of official discretion. The statute reaches both sides of the deal — the person offering the benefit and the official taking it — and it does not require that the official actually follow through, only that there was an agreement to be influenced. Bribery under Section 36.02 is a second-degree felony in Texas, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

What Is Abuse of Official Capacity in Texas?

A contract-steering case like this would also implicate Penal Code Section 39.02, abuse of official capacity, which applies when a public servant, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, misuses government property, services, personnel, or any other thing of value that has come into their custody by virtue of the office. Texas also has a related offense, misuse of official information under Section 39.06, which targets an official who uses nonpublic information gained through the job for private gain. Abuse of official capacity is graded by the value involved, climbing to felony levels as the amounts rise — and a scheme touching hundreds of thousands of dollars in public contracts would sit high on that ladder.

Why Add a Money-Laundering Charge in Texas?

When bribe proceeds are moved, spent, or disguised, Texas prosecutors frequently add money laundering under Penal Code Section 34.02, which criminalizes knowingly acquiring, transferring, or concealing the proceeds of criminal activity. Like theft and abuse-of-capacity offenses, money laundering is graded by amount, reaching third-degree-felony territory in the $30,000 to $150,000 range and higher for larger sums. Charging bribery, abuse of official capacity, and money laundering together lets the state address both the corrupt agreement and what allegedly happened to the money afterward.

What Defenses Apply to a Texas Public-Corruption Case?

Every case turns on its own facts, but common defense issues in Texas bribery and official-misconduct cases center on intent and the existence of an actual agreement. Because bribery requires a corrupt understanding, the defense often examines whether a payment was a lawful campaign contribution, a legitimate business dealing, or a personal gift unconnected to any official act. Prosecutors frequently rely on text messages and financial records, so their accuracy, context, and completeness are heavily contested, as is whether the official actually had authority over the decision at issue. The line between hard-nosed politics and a criminal quid pro quo is exactly where these cases are won or lost.

How L&L Law Group Can Help

Bribery, abuse of official capacity, and money-laundering charges in Texas are serious felonies that can carry years in prison, steep fines, and the permanent loss of a professional reputation, and the difference between dedicated politics and a criminal conviction often comes down to intent, authorization, and how communications are interpreted. At L & L Law Group, PLLC, we defend Frisco and Dallas-Fort Worth clients — including public officials, employees, and private contractors — against bribery, official-misconduct, and money-laundering allegations, scrutinizing the evidence, challenging the state's proof of a corrupt agreement, and working toward the leading available resolution. If you or a loved one is facing a public-corruption or financial charge in Texas, contact us for a confidential consultation.

Source: Reporting via WBRZ and WAFB (August 2026). This article is legal commentary by L & L Law Group, PLLC on a news story and is not a republication of the original reporting.

By Reggie London and Njeri London. This article is attorney advertising and general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; outcomes depend on specific facts. If you face criminal charges in Texas, consult a licensed Texas criminal-defense attorney.