Jerry Larpenter

{{Short description|American police officer}}

Jerry Joseph Larpenter was the former sheriff and tax collector of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. He died on June 18, 2025, at approximately 8am at Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma, Louisiana.

In August 2016, it was reported that Larpenter's deputies raided the residence of a local anti-corruption blogger on criminal defamation charges after posts examining the business relationships of local parish politicians.{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Katie |last2=Hammer |first2=David |url=http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/terrebonne-sheriff-raids-house-to-expose-esposedat-anti-corruption-blog-1/286912409 |title=Terrebonne Sheriff raids house to expose 'Esposedat' anti-corruption blog |work=WWL-TV |date=August 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806004043/http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/terrebonne-sheriff-raids-house-to-expose-esposedat-anti-corruption-blog-1/286912409 |archivedate=August 6, 2016 |accessdate=August 6, 2016 }}{{cite news|last=LaChance |first=Naomi |url=https://theintercept.com/2016/08/04/sheriff-raids-house-to-find-anonymous-blogger-who-called-him-corrupt/ |title=Sheriff Raids House to Find Anonymous Blogger Who Called Him Corrupt |work=The Intercept |date=August 4, 2016 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20160805120145/https://theintercept.com/2016/08/04/sheriff-raids-house-to-find-anonymous-blogger-who-called-him-corrupt/ |archivedate=August 5, 2016 |accessdate=August 6, 2016 }} The anti-corruption blogger claimed that an insurance contract for parish government was awarded without going through a public bid process and without a required ordinance.{{cite news |last=Hammer |first=David |url=http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/terrebonne-judge-stands-by-search-warrant-to-unmask-online-commenter/288554567 |title=Terrebonne judge stands by search warrant to unmask online commenter, and is quoted in saying "If you're gonna lie about me and make it under a fictitious name, I'm gonna come after you," (WWLTV Interview).|work=WWL-TV |date=August 5, 2016 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806194817/http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/terrebonne-judge-stands-by-search-warrant-to-unmask-online-commenter/288554567 |archivedate=August 6, 2016 |accessdate=August 6, 2016 }} Local newspaper The Daily Comet pointed out that Larpenter's wife is employed by the same insurance business.{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Katie |last2=Hammer |first2=David |url=http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20160806/ARTICLES/160809815/-1/apf?template=printpicart |title=Disputed insurance contract heads to Terrebonne Parish Council on Monday |work=The Daily Comet |date=August 6, 2016 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806193202/http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20160806/ARTICLES/160809815/-1/apf?template=printpicart |archivedate=August 6, 2016 |accessdate=August 6, 2016 }}

On August 25, 2016, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals quashed the search warrant use in the raid of the anti-corruption blogger because the warrant lacked probable cause of a criminally actionable offense.{{cite news |url=https://theintercept.com/2016/08/26/sheriffs-raid-to-find-blogger-who-criticized-him-was-unconstitutional-court-rules/ |title=Sheriff's Raid to Find Blogger Who Criticized Him was Unconstitutional, Court Rules |work=The Intercept |date=August 26, 2016 }}

In July 2017, a judge for the US District Court in Louisiana handed down a ruling that strips Larpenter of immunity in the lawsuit brought against him by the local anti-corruption blogger for violating her rights.{{cite news |url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170806/12414137946/federal-court-strips-immunity-sheriff-who-tried-to-silence-critic-having-him-arrested.shtml |title=Federal Court Strips Immunity From Sheriff Who Tried To Silence A Critic By Having Him Arrested |work=techdirt |date=August 8, 2017 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/07/20/no-qualified-immunity-in-first-amendment-and-fourth-amendment-lawsuit-against-louisiana-sheriff-in-criminal-libel-case/ |title= No qualified immunity in First Amendment and Fourth Amendment lawsuit against Louisiana sheriff in criminal libel case |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 20, 2017 }}

In August 2017, Larpenter settled the civil suit filed against him by the local anti-corruption blogger, who had previous received $50,000 from Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove for his role in the case.{{cite news |url=https://reason.com/2017/09/08/sheriff-settles-over-blogger-raid/ |title= Sheriff Forced to Pay After Ordering Raid on Blogger Who Criticized Him |work=Reason |date=August 8, 2017 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/investigations/katie-moore/terrebonne-sheriff-reaches-compromise-with-blogger-in-1st-amendment-lawsuit-over-illegal-search/472063049 |title= Terrebonne Sheriff reaches 'compromise' with blogger in 1st Amendment lawsuit over illegal search |work=4WWL |date=September 7, 2017 }}

In March 2019, Larpenter announced that he would not seek re-election, leaving office at the end of his term in June 2020.{{cite news |url=https://www.houmatoday.com/news/20190330/terrebonne-sheriff-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election |title= Terrebonne sheriff announces he will not seek re-election |work=houmatoday.com |date=March 30, 2019 }}

A political opponent previously accused Larpenter of using parish government money for personal expenses, such as hunting trips.{{cite news |url=http://www.noladefender.com/content/s34heriff-ca56jun-justice-called-out-fuel-football |title=Sheriff of 'Cajun Justice' Called Out on Football Trips, Baby Oil |work=NOLA Defender |date=July 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806200815/http://www.noladefender.com/content/s34heriff-ca56jun-justice-called-out-fuel-football |archivedate=August 6, 2016 |accessdate=August 6, 2016 }}