On February 12, 2026, Bryant Brown, a 58-year-old resident of Slidell, was indicted for causing damage to government property and for violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The announcement was made by United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
Court documents state that between March 2025 and June 12, 2025, Brown discharged pollutants onto the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. This action resulted in property damage exceeding $1,000. The Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is recognized as the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States and covers nearly 30,000 acres of wetlands.
If convicted of injuring government property, Brown could face up to ten years in prison, a fine as high as $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. For violating the federal Clean Water Act, he faces up to three years in prison, fines ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 per day of violation, up to one year of supervised release, and another mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Courcelle stated: “An indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Courcelle also commended several agencies for their roles in investigating the case: “the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the Environmental Protection Agency-Office of Inspector General, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States Customs and Border Protection.” Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans from the General Crimes Unit is leading the prosecution.
