Texas Fire World
March-April 2005

Three officials from the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness are being accused of obstructing the Department of Homeland Security audit of a federal grant program. HSE deputy director Col. Michael Brown, OHSEP Administrator Col. Michael Appe, and State Hazard Mitigation Officer Daniel Falanga were charged with two separate indictments for alleged attempts to block a DHS audit of the state’s federally funded Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

U.S. officials are investigating the use of funds once they were directed into the Louisiana State Military Budget. The indictments alleged that funds purposed for administrative expenses associated with the flood hazard mitigation program run by FEMA, were transferred to the Louisiana State Military accounts. Officials are investigating whether the funds were spent improperly once they entered the state military department.

A state employee discovered $175,000 was spent by another state employee during a DHS audit of state HMGP expenditures. Once notified of the problem, the justice department alleged that Appe and Brown created a backdated document for the DHS auditors.

Officials said Falanga was charged before a grand jury after allegedly perjuring himself during an appearance in which the state’s use of the FEMA funds were being investigated. The alleged violations of Falanga were separate from the alleged incident involving Appe and Brown, officials said.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both for each criminal count with which he is charged. The trial date for Appe and Brown are set for April 4 and the Falanga trial is set for June 6, officials said.