By LEONARD GRAY Managing Editor

EDGARD – A 29-year veteran of the St. John the Baptist Parish Council faces four counts of failure to file state income tax returns for several years.

Richard Dale Wolfe, 63, who has variously served as a police juror, district councilman and councilman-at-large, will be arraigned Feb. 11 before 40th Judicial District Judge Madeline Jasmine.

Wolfe did pay his federal income tax, according to his attorney, Bobby Faucheux, and plans to plead not guilty to the charges.

Wolfe was also indicted by the St. John Parish Grand Jury on Jan. 12 on four felony counts of theft for allegedly misappropriating money in excess of $300.

“He was singled out here,” Faucheux said, and added that with penalties and interest, the amount under discussion is about $15,000.

According to the language of the indictment, Wolfe allegedly took money by “means of fraudulent conducts, practices or representation.”

District Attorney John Crum’s office, which represents the parish council, has recused itself from the case, which instead is being prosecuted by the Louisiana Attorney General’s office.

Faucheux recalled an amnesty program in 1997 and 2001 which Wolfe “could have taken advantage of.” If so, the attorney continued, “nothing would have come of this.”

Wolfe could face up to two years in prison on each count of felony theft and also six months on each count of failure to file a state income tax return.

Wolfe first began his political career as a police juror in 1975 and has never lost an election. No one challenged him for the Third District in the 2003 election.

Wolfe has been an employee of the St. John Parish School Board for 18 years in the maintenance department. He has taken vacation days from his job as of press time and did not respond to attempts to contact him.