Key figure in New Orleans-area staged crash scheme expected to change plea

WWLTV, By Winston Reed, April 22, 2026

Leon Parker is accused of conspiring to kill a federal witness in the staged accidents investigation.

A key figure in the staged-accident scheme exposed by WWL Louisiana is expected to change his plea, potentially reshaping an upcoming federal trial tied to both fraud and a murder conspiracy.

Leon Parker, accused of being a so-called “slammer” — someone who intentionally causes collisions — may change his plea from not guilty in a federal fraud case. Court records show Parker is likely to plead guilty to fraud charges during a re-arraignment scheduled for May 12, a move that could affect how evidence is presented at trial.

Parker previously pleaded not guilty to fraud and murder charges in the sprawling staged-accident scheme first brought to light by WWL Louisiana in 2019.

Despite the expected plea change on fraud counts, Parker is still scheduled to stand trial in August alongside co-defendant Sean Alfortish. Both men are accused of conspiring to have Cornelius Garrison — a scammer-turned-federal witness — murdered just days after he was named in a federal indictment.

Former WWL Louisiana investigator Mike Perlstein, who first reported on the scheme, described Parker’s expected re-arraignment as unusual.

“What is unusual is that it was a plea to some of the counts but not all of them,” Perlstein said.

Re-arraignments often involve plea agreements and cooperation with prosecutors. However, in this case, Perlstein said it appears Parker may plead guilty to fraud charges without a formal agreement tied to cooperation.

The development follows recent convictions in the broader case. In March, personal injury attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles were found guilty of paying “slammers” to intentionally crash into tractor-trailers, enabling fraudulent lawsuits and large settlement payouts.

The extensive evidence presented during that trial may be a factor in Parker’s expected plea. Legal observers said admitting guilt on fraud charges could allow jurors in the upcoming trial to focus more narrowly on the allegations surrounding Garrison’s killing.

“I think they saw that and went, ‘Let’s not have the same parade of strong witnesses on the fraud (trial) at our murder trial,’” Perlstein said.

Alfortish has not indicated any plans to change his plea. As a result, fraud-related evidence is still expected to be presented during the trial, where it will remain closely tied to Parker.

Parker’s re-arraignment is scheduled for May 12.

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