A Mayor from Louisiana is in hot water after allegedly hiring a sex worker and using taxpayer money to fit the bill for an Airbnb for them to use.
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Police arrested Tyrin Truong, 25, Bogalusa's Mayor, on Tuesday. Authorities are charging him with multiple offenses. According to the Daily Mail, police are charging Truong with "soliciting prostitutes and also transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses."
Truong became the youngest mayor in the city's history when Bogalusa residents elected him 2-years-ago.
While renting an Airbnb with taxpayer money may warrant a slap on the wrist, investigators unearthed Truong's other activities as part of a much more serious inquiry.
According to news outlet Nola, state police began an investigation in April 2024 alongside the 22nd Judicial District Court District Attorney's Office, the Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's office, and also the Department of Environmental Quality.
A drug trafficking organization in the Bogalusa area was using social media to distribute numerous drugs. Those substances include MDMA, opioids, and high-grade marijuana. State police allege that those drug sales generated profits that were used to purchase firearms. Investigators believe that some of the firearms were "funneled to individuals" who could not legally own a gun. Authorities have linked some of those weapons to crime in the area.
Northshore District Attorney Collin Sims stated that he will not tolerate this conduct. "The citizens of Bogalusa deserve better, and we're not finished; we're just getting started." Sims also alleges that Truong purchased drugs in Louisiana.
Several Other People Were Arrested Alongside The Mayor
According to the Daily Mail, Authorities arrested Truong and six other people who were charged with "transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses." Three of the individuals reportedly face charges of conspiracy to distribute a 'Schedule I controlled substance.'
The term 'Schedule I' refers to drugs with a high chance of causing addiction which have no FDA-approved medical use. Police are still continuing their investigation.
Following Truong's arrest, Gloria Kates, the president of Bolagusa City Council, will serve as City Mayor. According to Nola, judges also set Truong's bail at $150,000. According to Washington Parish Sheriff Jason Smith, police are holding Truong in "one of the jail's smaller cell blocks — standard procedure for people who are notable."
