Former Louisiana Police Chief, City Councilmember Plead Guilty in Federal Vote-Buying Case

A person walks past a sign during a runoff election for Louisiana governor at a polling station at Quitman High School in Quitman, La., on Nov. 16, 2019. Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Two officials in Amite City, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on July 21 to criminally violating federal election laws in a vote-buying case, the Department of Justice announced.

Court documents show former Amite City Police Chief Jerry Trabona, 72, and current Amite City Council member Kristian “Kris” Hart, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay and offering to pay voters residing in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, for voting in the 2016 primary and general election.