PORT ALLEN — A judge sentenced twin brothers Rob and Tom McCormick on May 9th and ordered them to pay $214,262.13 in restitution to the State of Louisiana’s Office of the State Fire Marshal. The men were found guilty late last year of several charges related to financial crimes committed against the State in 2020 and 2021.
Both brothers were sentenced Friday morning, May 9th. Their sentencing was rescheduled multiple times previously.
The trial for Rob and Tom McCormick went on for multiple weeks, finally wrapping up on Dec. 12, 2024, when Judge Alvin Batiste, with the 18th JDC, delivered his verdict.
Batiste found both brothers guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, conspiracy to commit filing false public documents, conspiracy to commit felony theft, and conspiracy to commit prohibited splitting of profits.
Rob McCormick was also found guilty of malfeasance in office, filing false public documents, and prohibited splitting of profits.
Tom McCormick was also found guilty of felony theft.
Judge Batiste has ordered that of the more than $214,000 owed to the State, the brothers will split the costs, with Rob owing one-quarter and Tom paying the remaining three-quarters. In addition, they will remain on probation for three years and must pay multiple fines and court costs. Judge Batiste also determined that each brother will pay $5,000 to the Legislative State Auditor.
Initially, the State of Louisiana requested nearly $850,000 in restitution and the Legislative State Auditor’s office requested nearly $98,000.
Both men will also submit letters of apology to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
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The judge determined that the restitution should be a reasonable amount and not cause the McCormick families undue hardship. He also said imprisonment was not necessary in this case, based on the brothers’ military service and no previous criminal record.
“Each of them will bear the scarlet letter of being a convicted felon now,” Batiste said in the sentencing.
District Attorney Tony Clayton expressed his displeasure of the sentencing: “Although we respect the court and this judge, we are stunned by the sentence. This was a case of serious breach of public office and laundering public money. We wanted jail time. My office is reviewing the sentence to determine if there are any grounds to appeal the sentence. At least they will be convicted felons for the rest of their lives.”
Judge Batiste denied the defendants’ request for a new trial and acquittal.
The brothers were indicted by a West Baton Rouge Grand Jury in 2021 for multiple charges in an alleged attempt to defraud the state out of $800,000. Later, a West Baton Rouge judge set bond for the brothers at $200,000 each.
According to the bill of indictment, together, the brothers faced more than 400 counts of charges, including: conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, violation of Louisiana’s RICO Act, conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, malfeasance in office, conspiracy to commit filing false public documents, filing false public documents, conspiracy to commit injuring public records, injuring public record, conspiracy to commit theft, felony theft, conspiracy to commit public bribery, public bribery, conspiracy to commit corrupt influencing, corrupt influencing, conspiracy to commit public contract fraud, public contract fraud, conspiracy to commit prohibited splitting of profits, prohibited splitting of profits, conspiracy to commit illegal transmission of monetary funds, and illegal transmission of monetary funds.
The brothers had opted for a trial by judge rather than jury.
The two are due back in court Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. for a probation review.
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