Published on: November 6, 2025, 09:46h.
Recent update: November 6, 2025, 09:46h.
- A shooting incident transpired at the residence of the chairman of the Coushatta Tribe in Louisiana
- The tribe is currently undergoing scrutiny from federal and state investigators over allegations of financial misconduct by the former chairman
Officers in Louisiana’s Jefferson Davis Parish were dispatched Sunday evening to a home in Iowa, located just east of Lake Charles, following reports of gunshots. The incident reportedly took place at the home of David Sickey, the current chairman of the Coushatta Tribe, who returned to leadership in June after his predecessor stepped down amid fraud-related accusations.
Sickey had previously served a four-year term as the chairman of the Coushatta Tribe from 2017 to 2021 and took over from Jonathan Cernek, who left unexpectedly under a cloud of fraud allegations.
Investigations by federal and state authorities into Cernek’s actions are ongoing. Todd Stewart, who was the CEO of the tribe’s key economic venture, the Coushatta Casino Resort, lost his position after the National Indian Gaming Commission determined he failed to promptly report Cernek’s alleged misuse of tribal funds.
Stewart has contested the NIGC’s findings and the suspension of his vital personnel gaming license, claiming he alerted the tribal leadership, including the Coushatta Tribal Council, as soon as he discovered the financial irregularities.
Details of the Shooting Incident
In an interview with the Louisiana Illuminator, Stewart expressed that he is being unfairly blamed for Cernek’s misconduct. Now residing in Nevada, he stated, “It seems there’s an effort to hold me, a nontribal individual, accountable for the chairman’s wrongful actions.”
Paula Corliss, who was the purchasing manager at the casino and is now no longer with the organization, claimed that Cernek privately confessed to misusing tribal credit cards for personal items.
Corliss recounted, ‘He admitted, ‘I caused harm to my family. I harmed my tribe.’”
The existing situation in Louisiana escalated over the weekend when law enforcement reported that a single bullet struck Sickey’s residence. The projectile was believed to have been fired from outside the home, penetrating a child’s bedroom window where a child was asleep at the time.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported from this shooting. The investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, Coushatta Tribal Police, and federal agencies.
Iowa is situated approximately 25 miles southwest of the Coushatta Casino along Route 165.
Coushatta Casino $150 Million Expansion
The National Indian Gaming Commission also indicated that Stewart did not inform Wells Fargo, the tribe’s lender for its $150 million construction loan, regarding Cernek’s alleged unauthorized charges on casino credit cards. Despite this, the funding was provided to the tribe, which has utilized it to construct a luxurious 204-room hotel and update the casino floor and existing dining options.
The new hotel has yet to be branded to align with the casino’s Grand Hotel, Seven Clans Hotel, The Inn at Coushatta, and Red Shoes Chalets. The resort also features a 40-acre RV park with concrete pads and full hook-up facilities.
The Coushatta Casino spans a 100,000-square-foot gaming area, equipped with 2,000 slot machines, 55 table games, and a sportsbook. 2025 celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Coushatta Casino Resort.