District Attorney Collin Sims announces that today, a St. Tammany Parish jury found Willie Mack Cauley, 48, of Slidell, guilty of Filing a False Lien Against a Law Enforcement Officer.
The trial was held before the Honorable Judge Tara Farris Zeller. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Taylor Nicholson and Iain Dover.
The conviction follows an investigation led by Sergeant John Morse, formerly of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, who also served with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. In October 2020, the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court received documents from Cauley, including a UCC Financing Statement Amendment and an “Affidavit of Status as Secured Party and Creditor.”
These documents targeted a law enforcement officer in St. Tammany Parish who had previously arrested Cauley in the performance of his official duties. The filings falsely listed the victim as a “debtor” and claimed a “Perfected” $505,000,000.00 commercial lien against him. Investigators determined the filings were rooted in “sovereign citizen” ideology – a tactic used to retaliate against government officials through “paper terrorism” and fraudulent financial encumbrances.
During closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Taylor Nicholson emphasized that the defendant’s actions were a deliberate attempt to harass a public servant.
“Willie Cauley violated the law. It does not matter what type of lien or encumbrance was filed. Any kind is a violation of the law,” Nicholson told the jury. “Willie Cauley did this in retaliation for the victim acting in his law enforcement capacity. The defendant made his own judicial determination. He knowingly did this…knowing it was fake, fraudulent, and fictitious.”
District Attorney Collin Sims praised the verdict, highlighting the office’s stance against the harassment of law enforcement.
“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our community, and they should never be subjected to targeted harassment or financial retaliation for simply doing their jobs,” said District Attorney Collin Sims. “Filing fraudulent liens is a calculated attempt to intimidate those who uphold the law. This conviction sends a clear message: we will not allow our legal system to be weaponized as a tool for retaliation against our officers.”
Sentencing is set for May 12, 2026, before Judge Zeller.