Two Avoyelles Parish Public Safety Employees Arrested for Misconduct

Separate cases involve a police officer accused of improperly accessing data and a juvenile justice worker charged with sexual misconduct

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:21pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a set of handcuffs against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the investigation into allegations of misconduct by public safety employees in Avoyelles Parish.The use of harsh flash photography to capture evidence of official misconduct aims to expose the stark realities of abuse of power within public safety institutions.Bunkie Today

Two public safety employees in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana were arrested last week in separate and unrelated cases involving allegations of official misconduct, according to statements from state investigators and law enforcement agencies. One case involves a Cottonport police officer accused of improperly accessing restricted law enforcement databases, while the other involves a former juvenile justice worker in Bunkie who allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a youth offender.

Why it matters

These arrests have raised concerns about public trust in local government and law enforcement in Avoyelles Parish, as both cases involve allegations of misuse of authority by individuals in positions of public trust. The incidents follow several similar cases of misconduct reported at the Acadiana Center for Youth facility in Bunkie over the past year.

The details

In the first case, Cottonport Police Officer Craig Smith, 31, was arrested on March 17 after investigators determined he allegedly accessed restricted state law enforcement databases without a legitimate purpose. Authorities said Smith provided false information to dispatchers to gain access to confidential computer systems and obtain personal information about a former police officer, which was then sent to a private email belonging to an alderman in a neighboring town. Smith was charged with trespassing against state computers and malfeasance in office. In the second case, Kailey Francis, 27, a juvenile corrections specialist at the Acadiana Center for Youth in Bunkie, was arrested on March 18 following an internal investigation by the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice. Authorities allege Francis engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a youth offender at the facility. Francis was booked on charges of malfeasance in office involving alleged sexual misconduct and possession of contraband. Louisiana law prohibits corrections or juvenile justice employees from engaging in sexual conduct with individuals in custody.

  • On March 17, Cottonport Police Officer Craig Smith was arrested.
  • On March 18, Kailey Francis, a juvenile corrections specialist at the Acadiana Center for Youth in Bunkie, was arrested.

The players

Craig Smith

A 31-year-old Cottonport police officer who was arrested and charged with trespassing against state computers and malfeasance in office for allegedly improperly accessing restricted law enforcement databases.

Kailey Francis

A 27-year-old juvenile corrections specialist at the Acadiana Center for Youth in Bunkie who was arrested and charged with malfeasance in office involving alleged sexual misconduct and possession of contraband for an inappropriate relationship with a youth offender.

Earnest Anderson

The former Cottonport Police Chief who requested assistance from state investigators regarding possible misconduct by Officer Craig Smith.

Liz Murrill

The Louisiana Attorney General who stated that cases involving law enforcement officers are handled the same as any other criminal investigation.

Beryl Holmes

The Mayor of the Village of Moreauville who released a statement regarding an administrative review of Assistant Police Chief Craig Lee following a recent court ruling on an expungement case.

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What they’re saying

“It's always unfortunate when we have to arrest law enforcement officers for misconduct. However, no one is above the law in Louisiana.”

— Liz Murrill, Louisiana Attorney General

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Craig Smith, the Cottonport police officer, to be released on bail. The investigations into both cases are ongoing, and additional administrative actions could occur depending on the outcomes.

The takeaway

These arrests have eroded public trust in Avoyelles Parish's public safety institutions, raising concerns about the misuse of authority and the need for greater accountability and transparency within local law enforcement and juvenile justice systems.