Coroner's employee accused of pawning city-issued camera with crime scene photos - NOLA.com

An employee of the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office has been arrested and accused of malfeasance in office, theft and obstruction of justice, after authorities said he tried to pawn a camera containing a memory card with crime scene photos, including images of corpses.

Thomas Evans Jr., 36, was arrested Tuesday (Feb. 28) by the New Orleans Police Department Pawnshop Unit in connection with the incident that occurred in November 2017, police said in a news release.

Evans pawned the city-issued Nikon for $100 on Nov. 6, 2017, but returned two days later to retrieve the property. He again pawned the camera, as well as an attachable lens and a carry bag, for $200 ten days later, the NOPD reported.

A Cash America Pawn store employee contacted NOPD and said there was a camera in their store with a memory card containing crime scene photos, according to Orleans Parish court documents.

A detective acquired the camera and confirmed the authenticity of the photos. Evans' supervisor at the Coroner's Office confirmed his employment and that the camera belonged to the agency, according to court documents.

Officers booked Evans Tuesday at the agency's headquarters in the 3300 block of Earhart Boulevard and brought him to headquarters, where he confessed to pawning the city's camera, according to court documents.  

"The coroner's office cooperated fully with the NOPD's investigation, and Mr. Evans was released from his duties immediately following his arrest," said Jason Melancon, a spokesperson for the coroner's office.  

Evans' attorney, Scott Shea, declined to comment on the case Thursday afternoon as his client had not yet been released from jail. A judge on Thursday morning had ordered Evans released on his own recognizance.

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