BATON ROUGE - The former chief administrative officer of the Capital Area Transportation System has been arrested alongside an independent contractor on theft and criminal conspiracy charges. 

Pearlina Thomas, CATS former CAO, was indicted for criminal conspiracy, theft over $25,000, prohibited use of public funds and malfeasance in office.

Jarion "Jay" Colar was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for criminal conspiracy and theft over $25,000. 

The indictment, which was filed by Attorney General Liz Murrill, says that Thomas, Colar, and one other person allegedly stole $25,000 between August 2021 and February 2022. 

During that time, the WBRZ Investigative Unit did multiple reports about the failing leadership and financial trouble at CATS. 

In Oct. 2021, audio of Thomas saying then-CEO Bill Deville lost $5 million of the department's money was leaked to WBRZ.

Afterward, Thomas said it was a "poor choice of words."

"It wasn't five million and he didn't cover it up. I was trying to remember the context of which that happened and I can't. In 2018, there were some things going on where it was miscoded and the agency wasn't doing timely drawdowns of our federal funds."

WBRZ has asked Murrill's office for more details about the specific allegations from the indictment. 

Colar currently serves as the Vice Chairman for the Cortana Corridor Economic Development District, which is administered by Build Baton Rouge to enhance the Florida Corridor. 

Information from the Secretary of State's office says Colar was the registered agent for Allegiant Mortgage Company and Colar Investment Group, which changed its name to Supreme Solutions Consulting in Sept. 2025. 

Sources tell WBRZ that Thomas, who is currently on the Capital Area Crimestoppers board, will be removed from her position.