Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr and Wife Laura Indicted for Katrina Fraud
Case Stems from Homeowner Grant Case

by Keith Burton - GCN 1/28/09 
(Photos: GCN)

Today's arraignment ends months of speculation by Gulfport and Coast residents as to the seriousness of the investigations underway in the city.

A somber Brent Warr entered the courtroom with his wife Laura along with attorney Joe Sam Owen. Their appearance before Federal Judge John Roper lasted about 30 minutes. Both Warr's pled "not guilty."

The prominent Gulfport couple was charged by a federal grand jury for hurricane Katrina related fraud. The grand jury indictment alleges that the Warrs made a false statement to the Mississippi Development Authority for a HUD funded home grant and committed mail fraud in obtaining funds from Lexington Insurance Company.

Following the court appearance, the Warrs made a short statement outside the courthouse to reporters.

"Laura and I have entered our pleas. It speaks for itself," he said. "We are not going to make public statements."

A tentative trial date of April 6 has been set by Judge Roper who said the case will be tried by long-time  U.S. District Judge Walter J. Gex.

The Warrs were released on unsecured bonds of $25,000 each.

In September 2005, the Department of Justice created the national Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, designed to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes such as charity fraud, identity theft, procurement fraud and insurance fraud. The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force - chaired by Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, Rita M. Glavin, includes members from the DHS Office of Inspector General, FBI, the HUD Office of Inspector General, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Postal Inspector's Office and the Executive Office of United States Attorneys, among others.

Pursuant to the Justice Department initiative, a local Katrina Fraud Task Force, consisting of more than 20 federal and state law enforcement agencies, was formed in the Southern District of Mississippi to pursue and prosecute individuals who engage in fraud associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The DHS Office of Inspector General and the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor Katrina Fraud and Detection Unit, assisted by agents from the HUD OIG, investigated the activities of the Warrs.

GulfCoastNews.com first broke the story on Warr's receipt of a MDA Homeowner Grant Jan. 4, 2008. Readers can read more of GCN's reports in the archive link below.

More Information:

Federal Warr Indictment - .pdf file

Warr to Continue Work as Mayor - GCN

Warr Statement on Indictment - GCN

GCN Warr Archives