Final arrest made in indictments

Published 12:01 am Friday, March 21, 2008

VIDALIA — The final person indicted by a Concordia Parish grand jury in connection with the investigation into the Ferriday Police Department has been booked and released at the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Juanita Jean January, 25, 6201 Riverside Drive, Apt. 50-D, Metairie, La., was booked on a bench warrant on charges of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile Wednesday.

January was released on a $20,000 bond late Wednesday afternoon.

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The warrant for January’s arrest came after a grand jury handed down an indictment on the felony charge against her Tuesday.

The charges stem from alleged sexual contact between January and a minor younger than 17 years old during 2006 and 2007.

Ferriday Police Chief Richard Madison said the department had conducted an internal affairs investigation into January and had passed the information on to the district attorney’s office prior to the grand jury investigation, but the indictment was the first sign any action had taken place regarding January’s alleged conduct.

A former officer with the Ferriday Police Department, January was indicted along with two current and two former Ferriday police officers after a six-month grand jury investigation.

The indictments against the other officers were not related to the investigation into January’s alleged conduct.

The investigation into the other officers — current officers John Hawkins and Rickey Hollins, former police chief Robert “Rock” Davis and former officer Willie B. Robinson — concerned arrest tactics and record filing.

Arthur Johnson, a civilian with no formal ties to the Ferriday police, was also indicted in connection to the investigation.

Davis, Hawkins, Hollins, Johnson and Robinson were booked and bonded out at the sheriff’s office Tuesday.