A former police officer with the Basile Police Department and part-time deputy with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge the day jury selection was slated to begin on his original felony offense.
Nicholas Paul Richardson pled guilty to one count of disturbing the peace before the Honorable Gary J. Ortego of the 13th Judicial Court. Judge Ortego, in accordance with the plea agreement, sentenced Richardson to serve 90 days in the parish jail, which was suspended, and placed him on two years active supervised probation that will become unsupervised when all fines and fees have been collected. Richardson was ordered to pay a fine of $100.00, $127.50 court costs, $150.00 to the Indigent Defendant Board, $250.00 for the district attorney’s cost of prosecution, $100.00 warrant fee, and $50.00 to the victim’s fund.
Richardson was originally charged with one felony count of malfeasance in office (performance of duty in unlawful manner) after an incident that resulted in his arrest last year.
He was allegedly involved in an altercation at the home of Darrell and Mia Reed. Video footage shows Richardson pulling his weapon from his holster after getting out of his unit. A heated argument ensued between the parties.
Also arrested in the incident was Richardson’s father Grayling, who was booked with criminal trespassing and simple battery. Both Richardsons had bonded out of jail on an $18 thousand bond that was set by Judge Ortego.
At the time of the incident, Nicholas Richardson was indefinitely suspended without pay from the Basile Police Department.
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TONY MARKS