Two more arrested in Baton Rouge CATS scandal - SU Q-Dog husband and wife

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BATON ROUGE — The corruption probe surrounding the Capital Area Transit System continues to widen, with two more people arrested Wednesday on felony theft and conspiracy charges and additional arrests may be pending.

Terral Jackson Jr., 48, and Erica Jackson, 49, were arrested Wednesday after their indictments. Both are charged with theft over $25,000 and criminal conspiracy to commit theft over $25,000. Their arrests follow those of Pearlina Thomas and Jay Colar, who were taken into custody on Jan. 14, 2026.

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According to arrest warrants, Thomas awarded a contract to Broad Innovation Marketing Firm LLC, a company owned by Terral Jackson and his wife, Erica Jackson. The contract was tied to a project labeled “COVID-19 Mitigation Research Grant – Contactless Payment Project.” However, when questioned, both Jacksons told investigators they believed the contract was related to an upcoming CATS millage, the warrants state.

Thomas is accused of approving more than $49,000 in invoices by bypassing required CATS protocols. The warrants also reference another individual, described as a close friend of the Jacksons, who investigators say helped orchestrate the awarding of Broad’s CATS contract through Thomas around February 2021.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office is leading the investigation, which stems from an FBI probe into public officials allegedly accepting bribes. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional arrests are possible.

In a previous report, UWK detailed warrants alleging that Thomas and Colar defrauded CATS through a $50,000 contract, with nearly 90% of the funds allegedly routed to a company called C.G. Sources familiar with the investigation have implicated East Baton Rouge Parish Councilmember Cleve Dunn in the alleged scheme.

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