Dozens to be Repaid in Louisiana Driveway Asphalting Scam

A state District Court judge has ordered two men to pay $414,484 in restitution after defrauding people in two states through a driveway asphalting scheme.

Livingston Parish Assistant District Attorney Le’Anne Malnar said many of the 33 victims are elderly. Malnar told The Advocate her office is in the process of getting $288,768 of the restitution money back to victims living in multiple parishes and counties of Louisiana and Texas.

She said some of the victims paid more than $30,000 for the work which involved inflated prices and substandard materials.

District Judge Ernie Drake sentenced Billy B. Densmore II, of Melissa, Texas, and Derrick Johnson, of Dallas, to serve 15 years each after they pleaded guilty to racketeering. Their sentences were suspended and both were placed on probation for five years.

Densmore, Johnson and multiple accomplices ran a racketeering scheme in which they identified themselves as the owners and employees of various companies that aren’t registered with the state, officials said. Densmore had victims make checks payable to his employees in an attempt to keep money from being traced back to him, and the employees cashed the checks and gave most of the money to Densmore, Malner said.

The $414,484 in cash was found in Densmore’s possession when he was arrested in Houston, she said.

District Attorney Scott Perrilloux said victims were receiving restitution and any remaining money would be divided among the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana attorney general’s office and the district attorney’s office.

The defendants also waived their rights to trucks and other equipment seized by the Sheriff’s Office. Perrilloux said the equipment will be sold at auction and the money will also be divided among the same agencies.