| | '''Gus Sam Mijales''', known as '''Uncle Gus Mijales''' (July 11, 1934 – February 27, 2018), was a [[business]]man in his native [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]], who was a confidante of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]]. His family owns Farmers Seafood Company, Inc., which began operations in Shreveort in 1918. | | '''Gus Sam Mijales''', known as '''Uncle Gus Mijales''' (July 11, 1934 – February 27, 2018), was a [[business]]man in his native [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]], who was a confidante of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]]. His family owns Farmers Seafood Company, Inc., which began operations in Shreveort in 1918. |
| − | In the middle 1980s, Mijales and Edwards were co-defendants when the then governor was charged with using his influence to gain state approval for certain nursing home and hospital projects. After a mistrial, all the defendants were acquitted in a second trial in 1986. In 1995, however, Mijalis served twenty months in federal prison for various financial crimes.<ref name=gmij>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/02/28/gus-mijalis-businessman-and-friend-edwin-edwards-dies-83/383396002/|title=Gus Mijales, businessman and friend of Edwin Edwards, dies at 83|author=Sarah Crawford and Nick Wooten|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=March 1, 2018}}</ref> Edwards also later served time in federal prison for seventeen convictions, including [[money laundering]], racketeering, [[extortion]], [[mail fraud]], and wire fraud, stemming from a case involving the location of a prison in LaSalle Parish in north Louisiana. | + | In the middle 1980s, Mijales and Edwards were co-defendants when the then governor was charged with using his influence to gain state approval for certain nursing home and hospital projects. After a mistrial, all the defendants were acquitted in a second trial in 1986. In 1995, however, Mijalis served twenty months in federal prison for various financial crimes.<ref name=gmij>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/02/28/gus-mijalis-businessman-and-friend-edwin-edwards-dies-83/383396002/|title=Gus Mijales, businessman and friend of Edwin Edwards, dies at 83|author=Sarah Crawford and Nick Wooten|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|accessdate=March 1, 2018}}</ref> Edwards also later served time in federal prison for seventeen convictions, including [[money laundering]], racketeering, [[extortion]], [[mail fraud]], and wire fraud, stemming from a case involving the location of a prison in LaSalle Parish in north Louisiana. |
| | Mijales was one of three sons of Sam Alex and he former Evangeline Casse; he has a surviving sister, Alice Mijales Stravolemos. His nephew, Sammy Mijales, son of Mijalis' brother, diversified Shreveport businessman Alexander Sam Mijalis (1926-2012),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?pid=156010287|title=Alexander Mijales obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=2012|accessdate=March 1, 2018}}</ref> is the current president of Farmers Seafood. He described his uncle as "willing to help others. He never met a stranger. He would go out of his way to take care of anybody even if he did not know that person. ... He had a gentle heart, a heart as big as gold."<ref name=gmij/> Mijalis was predeceased by another brother, Spiro Mijales.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=gus-sam-mijalis&pid=188335194|title=Gus Mijales Obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=March 2, 2018}}</ref> | | Mijales was one of three sons of Sam Alex and he former Evangeline Casse; he has a surviving sister, Alice Mijales Stravolemos. His nephew, Sammy Mijales, son of Mijalis' brother, diversified Shreveport businessman Alexander Sam Mijalis (1926-2012),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?pid=156010287|title=Alexander Mijales obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=2012|accessdate=March 1, 2018}}</ref> is the current president of Farmers Seafood. He described his uncle as "willing to help others. He never met a stranger. He would go out of his way to take care of anybody even if he did not know that person. ... He had a gentle heart, a heart as big as gold."<ref name=gmij/> Mijalis was predeceased by another brother, Spiro Mijales.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=gus-sam-mijalis&pid=188335194|title=Gus Mijales Obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=March 2, 2018}}</ref> |