BUS DRIVER ADMITS TO DRUG-TEST CHEATING

BATON ROUGE - A police sergeant and school bus driver who admitted selling
cocaine also admitted taking chemicals so his drug tests would appear clean.

Louis Martin, who had been a New Roads policeman for 12 years before his
arrest in April, talked about that drug test cheating in a taped
conversation with a federal informant, according to his plea agreement.

U.S. District Judge Frank Polozola was scheduled to sentence Martin on
Friday, but put sentencing off for a week because federal guidelines call
for six months to a year in prison.

"That's too low for me," Polozola said. "You don't deserve a sentence that
low."

Martin pleaded guilty in April to one count of distributing cocaine.

Even though he isn't accused of using or selling drugs while driving a
school bus, his actions endangered children and he abused his position as a
police officer, Polozola said.

He said Drug Enforcement Administration agents ended their investigation
early because Martin moonlighted as a school bus driver in Pointe Coupee
Parish.

Had the investigation run its course, Martin probably would have faced more
charges and more prison time Polozola said.

"When you've got a whole busload of children and you're doing drugs ...
that's the issue at hand," Polozola said. "This is a serious issue."

New Roads police called DEA in January after an informant said he had
bought cocaine from Martin several times, according to the plea agreement.

Martin was arrested in March after selling 9 grams of cocaine and about 27
grams of marijuana to an undercover federal agent and an informant between
January and March, according to a criminal complaint.

He and his cousin Henry Martin met the informant and an undercover DEA
agent Jan. 31 in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Port Allen, the plea agreement
states.

During the meeting, the informant bought more than 5 grams of cocaine and
almost 22 grams of marijuana, the plea agreement states.

DEA agents stopped the Martins before they could leave the parking lot,
according to the plea agreement.

They found a package of marijuana in Henry Martin's sock and cocaine on the
passenger-side floor of Louis Martin's car, the plea agreement states.

Henry Martin pleaded guilty in April and is scheduled for sentencing in October.