Derrick Shepherd

{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder |image =  |image_size = 150px | | name=Derrick Shepherd | state_senate=Louisiana | state=Louisiana | district=3rd | term_start=2005 | term_end=2008 | preceded= | succeeded=Incumbent | party=Democratic | birth_date= | birth_place= | death_date= | death_place= | profession= | alma_mater= |}}

'''Derrick D. T. Shepherd''' (born c. 1970) is an attorney and Democratic politician, formerly a member of the Louisiana Senate.

==State representative== Shepherd was first elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2003 and took office in early 2004 as the Representative for the 87th House District. He had received 60% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/09/jackson_elected_to_state_house.html |title=Jackson elected to state House after Rep. Harris withdraws, Times-Picayune, New Orleans, September 14, 2007 |access-date=April 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918074503/http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/09/jackson_elected_to_state_house.html |archive-date=September 18, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==State senator== {{See also|Whale_tail#Legal_debates}} In May 2005, Shepherd won a special election and became the State Senator for the 3rd District. He received 51% of the vote and succeeded Lambert Boissiere, Jr., who had won a seat on the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Shepherd was re-elected in 2007 with 61% of the vote.

As a State Senator, proposed a bill to criminalize the wearing of "saggy" pants which displayed the wearer's underwear.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131012170910/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4963512/ "Memo to Britney: Lose the low-slungs"], By Bethany Thomas, NBC News, May 13, 2004. Retrieved Feb 12, 2010.</ref> This bill was not passed, although the measure provided excellent material for many comedians.

==Federal politics== In November 2006, Shepherd ran against incumbent Bill Jefferson in Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. Jefferson, who was dogged by allegations of corruption, was facing a tough re-election fight. Shepherd finished third with 18% of the vote, behind Jefferson and Representative Karen Carter.

==Conviction for corruption== [[File:Senator Shep's Money Laundry.jpg|right|thumb|2009 Mardi Gras float lampooning Shepherd's money laundering]] On April 10, 2008, Shepherd was indicted by federal investigators on charges of corruption. Shepherd allegedly engaged in a money-laundering scheme, in which he is accused of laundering $141,000 for Gwen Moyo, a former insurance broker who was barred from that business due to a felony conviction. Moyo's business accounts were frozen, so Shepherd ran the funds through his business account, retaining $65,000 for his services. He has claimed that he performed 100 hours legitimate legal services for this money ($650 an hour). The Feds dispute Shepherd's account.

On October 10, 2008, Shepherd pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He also resigned his state senate seat on the same day.<ref>{{cite news | publisher = nola.com | date = July 30, 2008 | title = Sen. Derrick Shepherd stays out of jail, apologizes for weekend arrest | author = Dennis Persica | url = https://www.nola.com/news/article_60f041ff-f7c9-59cf-a70a-f1c3eef6f8d8.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/Derrick_Shepherd__Pleads_Guilty_In_Sad_Louisiana_Political_Story__7696.asp |title=Derrick Shepherd: Pleads Guilty in Sad Louisiana Political Story |accessdate=2016-01-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205044354/http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/Derrick_Shepherd__Pleads_Guilty_In_Sad_Louisiana_Political_Story__7696.asp |archivedate= December 5, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>[http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/10/shepherd_fbi_asked_him_for_evi.html Shepherd: FBI sought dirt on Nagin, Jefferson, Carter, Times-Picayune, New Orleans, October 24, 2007]</ref><ref>[http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-10/120789121427440.xml&coll=1 Senator indicted in fraud case, Times-Picayune, New Orleans, April 11, 2008]</ref> In February 2010, Shepherd was sentenced to 37 months in prison.<ref>{{cite news | publisher = bayoubuzz.com | date = Oct 10, 2008 | title = Derrick Shepherd: Pleads Guilty In Sad Louisiana Political Story | author = BayouBuzz Staff | url = http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/Derrick_Shepherd__Pleads_Guilty_In_Sad_Louisiana_Political_Story__7696.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205044354/http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/Derrick_Shepherd__Pleads_Guilty_In_Sad_Louisiana_Political_Story__7696.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 5, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | publisher = fbi.gov | date = February 11, 2010 | title = Former State Senator Derrick Shepherd Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy | author = U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana | url = https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/neworleans/press-releases/2010/no021110a.htm}}</ref>

==Return to Politics== In 2019, Shepherd ran for Council District 3 of Jefferson Parish.<ref>[https://www.wdsu.com/article/former-state-senator-convicted-felon-seeks-jefferson-parish-council-seat/28091553 Former state senator, convicted felon, seeks Jefferson Parish council seat, WDSU, New Orleans, June 18, 2019]</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links==  *[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=35655 Project Vote Smart – Senator Derrick T. Shepherd (LA)] profile *''Follow the Money'' – Derrick T Shepherd **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=95509 2007] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=77864 2005] State Senate campaign contributions **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=33543 2003] State House campaign contributions

{{S-start}} {{S-off}} {{Succession box | title=Louisiana Representative, 87th House District| before=Kyle Mark Green (D)| after=Terrell Harris (D) | years=2004–2005}} {{Succession box | title=Louisiana Senator, 3rd Senate District| before=Lambert Boissiere, Jr. (D)| after=vacant| years=2005–2008}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepherd, Derrick}} Category:Democratic Party Louisiana state senators Category:Democratic Party members of the Louisiana House of Representatives Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:African-American state legislators in Louisiana Category:Louisiana politicians convicted of crimes Category:People from Harvey, Louisiana Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century members of the Louisiana State Legislature