Sulphur city inspector indicted for abuse of office
Published 10:44 am Sunday, August 31, 2014
A Sulphur city inspector indicted Thursday is accused of demanding a pool table in order for a local bar to stay open, according to court documents.
Joseph Dean Simon Jr., 52, was indicted Thursday on one count of abuse of office.
Simon is alleged to have told workers at Cricket Lounge on June 29 that if one of the bar’s pool tables “wasn’t delivered to his house by that afternoon that they would not have the permits to open on Monday,” according to the offense report filed by Sulphur police.
The city of Sulphur first investigated, followed by a criminal investigation by Sulphur police, who arrested Simon in July.
When Simon went to Crickets, a bar on La. 90, prior to June 29 to inspect the business, he “began to pick out things that he wanted,” including the pool table (valued at $2,500) and a neon sign (valued at $500), according to witness statements in the offense report.
The inspector allegedly demanded the workers open the bar on June 29 so he could get the things he wanted. The workers helped him load them onto a trailer and took them to Simon’s house in Carlyss.
Sulphur Police Chief Lewis Coats and a witness went to Carlyss to try to find the home where the pool table had been delivered. The witness said he thought the name of the street was King Road, off of Pete Seay Road, but Coats and the witness were unable to find the home. Simon lives on Dean Drive, one road west of Pete Seay Road, according to the offense report.
Simon told Fire Chief Danny Dupre that he took a pool table because it was infested with mold. It was to be thrown away, he told Dupre.
“Dupre stated that Simon asked if it was appropriate and he told Simon that it would be questionable,” the report reads. Simon said people were coming to his house to get the pool table.
Other indictments
l Brandon William Baker, 37, was indicted on three counts of aggravated rape. The indictment alleges that between July 1, 2013, and June 15, 2014, he raped an 8-year-old.
l Alfred Wayne Mckellar, 63, was indicted on one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and 10 counts of misdemeanor simple battery. The charges stem from a Feb. 13 incident, according to the indictment.