(Lafayette, LA) -- According to a bill of information filed by the state Attorney
General's Office, an owner of two downtown Lafayette bars has been
indicted on multiple felony criminal charges. Eric Cloutier [[KLOO-chay]], who
owns the Karma and Marley's Sports Bar on Jefferson Street, was arrested
in February by the state Alcohol and Tobacco Control office on 505 counts
ranging from money laundering to failure to pay taxes. Attorney General's
Office officials say they've consolidated the charges to 15 to more easily
facilitate the presentation in court. Cloutier, who's originally from Canada,
played for the old Lafayette IceGators minor league hockey team. Officials
say the charges stem from operations at the nightclubs, and include money
laundering in excess of 100-thousand dollars, racketeering and filing false
documents with the state.