Louisiana Troop A State Police Lieutenant John Cannon remains on his $115,690 per year job despite having been reprimanded for numerous offenses including theft of satellite television signals, failure to file required Daily Activity Reports (DARs), unauthorized voiding of traffic tickets, failure to investigate a fleet crash, failure to deliver fatality packets to the families of traffic fatality victims, and twice having sex with a woman while on duty—with one of those times being in the rear seat of his patrol unit.
Legislators approved two double digit state police pay increases six months apart earlier this year even as more than 35,000 state civil service employees were learning that they again would not receive 4 percent pay increases. https://louisianavoice.com/2015/09/29/state-general-fund-has-yet-to-see-any-of-the-11-million-in-delinquent-fine-collections-to-pay-for-state-police-pay-raise/
http://theadvocate.com/news/13605105-128/no-pay-raises-for-most
Troop A includes the eight parishes of East and West Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, East and West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, Ascension and part of St. James. Cannon, a shift supervisor, has been a state trooper since 1990. He was promoted to sergeant in July of 2000 and to lieutenant in August of 2010.
LouisianaVoice obtained the 38-page state police internal affairs investigative file on Cannon through a public records request. That file indicates Cannon was never demoted for his actions. His most severe punishment included a 36-hour suspension without pay and a $904.96 per pay period reduction in pay for nine two-week pay periods (the equivalent of a 240-hour suspension)—from Oct. 27, 2014 through June 21, 2015, that was handed down by letter of Sept. 10, 2014 from Lt. Col. Charles Dupuy.
The internal affairs investigation of claims that Cannon had sex with a woman on two occasions while on duty was launched on May 15, 2014, after West Feliciana Parish sheriff’s deputies reported they had a woman in custody for possession of Lortab and marijuana. The woman, whose name was redacted throughout the report, told deputies that she twice had exchanged sex for money with Cannon.
She repeated her story to state police detectives but failed a polygraph test on the question of her being paid for sex, the report said. Cannon subsequently admitted to detectives that he had sexual intercourse with the woman but denied he paid her for sex although he did admit that he twice gave her money. He said the money was given immediately before or after each sexual encounter but that on the first occasion the money was to pay her cell phone and the second time was to pay her rent and that he was only trying to help her and to establish a friendship.
While the woman was twice subjected to polygraph tests and failed on the key point of payment for sex, the state police report never indicated that a similar test was administered to Cannon even though that was the only aspect of the entire affair that would have actually been criminal in nature.
The two first met on Feb. 16, 2014 in, New Roads in Pointe Coupee Parish where Cannon was working a seat belt grant. The woman told investigators that the two had multiple conversations by phone before meeting behind the parish library in New Roads on Feb. 21 “sometime between 9 and 11 p.m.,” but that they did not engage in sex on that occasion. She said they subsequently “negotiated sex on the phone.”
Cannon later called her at her father’s home in St. Francisville where she was living and told her he “needed her,” she said. The woman told authorities that she told Cannon she was out of money and that he later picked her up in his marked state police unit near her father’s residence and “immediately gave her $120, which she claimed was for sex,” according to the report. Cannon later said the amount was closer to $60 and was not for sex but for her cell phone bill. The report by internal affairs put the date as March 4, 2014.
She told investigators that their first sexual encounter took place in a wooded area south of St. Francisville just off U.S. 61 and lasted “approximately two minutes.” Afterward, she said, Cannon realized his patrol car was stuck and that she smoked a marijuana joint while he checked to see how badly the car was stuck. Apparently realizing how it might look if he were caught with her in such a secluded area, especially given the fact that he was dating an employee of the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office at the time, he ordered her to walk to the main highway and catch a ride while he called for someone to pull him out.
She did catch a ride to her father’s house while Cannon called the sheriff’s department for help in removing his vehicle.
Almost two months later, on April 29, Cannon picked her up—in his state police unit while on duty and in full uniform—from an apartment in Baker where she was living with her boyfriend. Cannon drove to a home she told authorities she believed to be in Baton Rouge but which Cannon later admitted was a friend’s home in Prairieville in Ascension Parish. They again had sexual intercourse in a bedroom of the home, that time for a duration of about three minutes, she said. She told investigators she requested $150 afterward but Cannon gave her only $100. He admitted that he stopped at a Regions Bank ATM on Highland Road in Baton Rouge in order to withdraw some cash. He said the amount he gave her was closer to $60 to $80 but when advised that she claimed it was $100, he told investigators it “was possible he could have given her that amount,” the report said.
The report reiterated Cannon’s claim that while he gave her money, it was to pay her phone bill and to pay her rent but was never given in exchange for sex
While en route from Baker to Prairieville, she activated Cannon’s patrol unit’s siren which resulted in other motorists moving out of the way and that she videoed the interior of his unit with her cell phone. She said she also took a photo of the house to show her boyfriend. She said Cannon was aware of her videoing the inside of his patrol car but that he did not know about her taking a picture of the house.
His 36-hour suspension ran from Oct. 10, 2014 through Oct. 13, 2014, and he was allowed to return to work from Oct. 15 through Oct. 26.
That 224-hour time frame actually covers 18 pay periods because, according to the specified dates of his suspension, he was suspended only on every other pay period, thus allowing him to work during alternate pay periods.
The suspension also contained no prohibition to Cannon’s being able to work overtime in order to make up for the $904.96 reduction in pay for each pay period for which he was suspended. LouisianaVoice has submitted a follow-up public records request for documents related to all overtime worked by him from Oct. 27, 2014, and June 21, 2015.
Cannon has had a checkered record in his 25 years as a state trooper.
- On April 12, 1995, he received a letter of reprimand for his involvement in a traffic accident in his state police car, a not uncommon occurrence for state police.
- On Jan. 25, 2001, he was suspended for 80 hours after being found in possession of an illegal satellite access card for Direct TV.
- On June 6, 2003, he received an eight-hour suspension for failure to submit his Daily Activity Reports (DARs).
- On April 27, 2006, he received a reduction in pay equivalent to a 24-hour suspension for failure to investigate a fleet crash.
And even after Dupuy’s letter of Sept. 10, 2014, which imposed the 240-hour suspension for his sexual misconduct while on duty, he received a reprimand but no suspension on March 18 of this year for his failure to act upon six traffic citation void slips and for failure to follow state police procedure with nine other citations.
Additionally, a review revealed that Cannon had seven fatality reports that are provided by state police as a courtesy to families of the deceased which he had not delivered. The fatalities had occurred between the dates of March 24, 2014, and Oct. 1, 2014, but still had not been delivered to families of the deceased as of Dec. 4, 2014.
And while technically, Cannon claims he was not paying for sex, a case could be made that because he was on duty at the time of his trysts, he was being paid for sex.
All of which raises the obvious questions: Was he being protected from above and if so, who was protecting him?
Here is Lt. Col. Dupuy’s letter of Sept. 10, 2014, to Cannon (Click on image to enlarge):
Louisiana Voice 
WOW!
to protect and to serve……..
Well, actually, the Louisiana State Police motto is “Courtesy, Loyalty, Service,” but it equates to essentially the same thing.
…While public school teachers are required to work harder with increasingly more bogus hoops to jump, AND without a pay raise in 6 years despite the efforts of former (DEMOCRATIC) Governor Kathleen Blanco to boost our salaries to “the Southern average.” When we can elect a Governor who will put LA first instead of political ambition we might fire crook Edmonson and get real leadership and accountability in that most important state organization.
About as embarrassing as it gets. Who is watching these buffoons? What a joke of an administration. This is what you get when you take a pretty boy and make him Colonel. No leadership, no oversight, no accountability. Of course The Sheriffs Association thinks things are going fine and are wanting the next Governor to reappoint Edmonson so he can have 8 more years to destroy what little integrity State Police has left. But thank goodness they got a pay raise and enhanced retirement benefits.
This has been known about for years, he just got caught. If you believe he has only done this twice, don’t be so gullible and he is not the only one doing it. FYI. He didn’t stop even after he was caught. He would leave the desk as a Sgt and have a road trooper cover for him. But this is what is being promoted throughout LSP. The worst examples of Law Enforcement. I just don’t understand if only 2-3 minutes for a romp in the back seat, why take a hours away from your job… He leads people to believe he is the best a women can have. Sounds disappointing. But good money for the woman. She was paid more than the Troopers, even with the raises!
How r u certain of this? Do u know him personally?
Tom,
It is astounding that this guy still works for LSP. You should ask DAs in the jurisdiction where he fornicated whether they find any prosecutable offenses in his admitted conduct. Offenses might include prostitution and malfeasance.
Glenn
BTW, what is meant by “you couldn’t time an egg with this guy?” I’ve never heard that one.
Glenn
See comment by “Unknown” below and my response to him.
This revelation raises more serious questions than just the actions by and for a single trooper.
Surely Cannon is not the only transgressor who is being shielded from any serious sanctions. This trooper’s problem behavior predates the current administration by several years, although the more current problems merit serious consequences. What does it take for any real disciplinary action – like termination for theft, payroll fraud, etc.?
But the question arises – what is REALLY going on within the ranks of State Police and how long has this institutional corruption been covered up? The entire Lake Charles unit’s serious problems being manipulated from the top? What else is going to surface? Does anyone seriously think these are isolated incidents? Or have Tom and his sources just scratched the surface?
And this is the police unit that so many people say was just SO honorable until recent years and a questionable commander. And these people deserve huge raises, most or many now making six figure salaries, while rank and file classified staff still suffer stagnant wages?
Edmonson must be a “bad boy wannabe” but is too timid. Therefore, he gets his thrills being the Stupidvisor of those actual bad boys. The more kinky the better. And the real freaks get promoted. See his 2nd in command and head of internal affairs. I hope that the “good” troopers (if there are any left) will let our next Governor know that Edmonson and his kinky cohorts must be purged and real leadership returned to the LSP.
I think he means the time it take to boil an egg..
Correct, and since his trysts lasted only two and three minutes…..
Speedy Gonzales!
[…] “Louisiana Troop A State Police Lieutenant John Cannon remains on his $115,690 per year job despite having been reprimanded for numerous offenses including theft of satellite television signals, failure to file required Daily Activity Reports (DARs), unauthorized voiding of traffic tickets, failure to investigate a fleet crash, failure to deliver fatality packets to the families of traffic fatality victims, and twice having sex with a woman while on duty—with one of those times being in the rear seat of his patrol unit.” – Louisiana Voice […]
I can only hope that whoever the next governor is will do a thorough housecleaning in the LSP. The issues with this organization are getting worse and worse.
This is just skimming the surface of just how deeply LSP has sank into the bowels of corruption and ineptness in the past 8 years under Jindal and Edmonson. What was once a proud and highly professional organization has become the high paid laughing stock of the law enforcement world. However, the Louisiana Sheriff’s Assn. has made it clear they want Edmonson to stay on in the next administration and all of the candidates for governor are considering doing just that. If the sexcapades of Edmonson and his cronies were to be published it would make Lt. Cannon look like a saint. Thank you Tom for again exposing what the main stream media refuses to do. Now take a look at Capt. Kevin Devall’s IA file. The taxpayers need to know these things.
Ohh yea…I’ve heard lots about Devall, even his last encounter was just swept under the rug. The Poe brothers were drug through the mud for similar circumstances but Devall was patted on the head and I think promoted.
Thanks, Tom. Why don’t newspapers and TV news reporters go after and publish these stories? Instead of asking the candidates for governor about Kim Davis during the farcical debate, they could have been questioned about whether Edmonson would be allowed to remain in his position.
Afraid I can’t speak for those guys. I guess we have different ideas of what constitutes real news.
WOW. Lt. Cannon must be buddies with the Colonel or Mr/Mrs Dupuy.
Tom, these reported ‘transgressions’ within the State Police seem to be plentiful, yet it seems the punishment is geared towards those who ‘tell’ and not about cleaning up the image.
A Captain reported misconduct (apparently accurate) and was demoted while the offender was promoted.
A Lt. has sex on duty along with a multitude of other offenses (before and after) and he gets his pay cut for a limited, although extensive, time period. The private citizen was polygraphed because she tattled, but not the Trooper? Right or wrong, the public doesn’t hold her to the same standard we expect out of those who are paid to Protect and Serve. It only shatters our faith when some are held Above the Law. Good has to eventually triumph, right?
Col Edmonson, yes I know you read this, you should seriously consider the people you surround yourself with. Then I suggest that you take a step back, look at who you had as leadership after your appointment. Its not too late to re-establish your integrity as well as that of LSP. But it will take some humble pie.
Stop isolating the loyal Troopers who have honesty and probity, by turning a blind eye as they are vindictively persecuted. You have amazing Leadership within your Agency, you just seem to make bad choices when it comes to those you listen to.
How can you slander a good mans name? This is absurd.
Good man? Slander? This is far from both of those…he admitted to this and the proof is all there.
Some things never die. How can LT. Cannon hold his head up after sleeping with a little girl? I know her personally and she’s less than half his age. That’s a little on the sick side. How do these guys get away with just a slap on the wrist? The police units are not motels. Maybe a GPS should be mandatory for anyone and everyone in law enforcement. If any man thinks a teen girl is into him at his age he’s seriously delusional. Edmonson is gone, thankfully. Such a shame for our law upholders to be constantly breakers of the law.
Mannnnn……that girl engaged to a brother. Ol trooper must like the taste of black cock lol. Wonder if he felt the walls after she been worn out by a big black slong.
[…] also asked that we give “Honorable Mention” to retired LSP Trooper John Cannon, who was cited for an entire litany of reprehensible conduct for an LSP Trooper, to […]
[…] theft matter by the time Cain resigned to be an interesting statement, and then she directed us to this interesting article which references the cable television theft and one trooper who was known to have been involved and disciplined for his role in the matter. […]