in 2016, news media reported that yenni had allegedly engaged in sending improper texts to a 17-year-old male alum from his former high school. on october 6, 2016 yenni released a video to local media outlets admitting to the texting scandal. on november 1, 2016 the jefferson parish school board banned yenni "indefinitely from appearing at any public school facilities or events, including sports contests and festivals". the fbi began an investigation into the allegations. the texts included explicit language, discussions of undergarments given to the youth by yenni, invites to yenni's oxford, mississippi apartment, and describing sexual acts yenni wanted to perform on the youth. the louisiana law for the age of consent is set at 17 meaning explicit communication or acts with the male youth was not a crime. however, yenni could have violated a federal law aimed at protecting children under the age of 18 from obscenity. after the investigation, no charges were filed against him. the council for the city of kenner, where yenni was once mayor, passed a resolution supporting the jefferson parish school board ban on june 21, 2018, after yenni began seeking a lift of the ban.