A Baton Rouge city official has been fired and placed under arrest after he was captured on camera relieving himself in the city's drinking water, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office.
The news, first reported by Inside Edition, noted that 57-year-old Michael Mastin was caught on surveillance footage urinating in the city's clean water supply on at least two occasions.
Mastin Charged with Criminal Damage to Infrastructure, Contamination of Water Supplies
Mastin was arrested and charged earlier this week on two counts of criminal damage to a critical infrastructure and two counts of contaminating water supplies, according to jail records. Mastin is awaiting arraignment and is currently out on $25,000 bond.
Mastin formerly worked at a water supply treatment plant in Donaldsonville and has been a long-tenured employee at the facility, officials said in a statement.
Mastin Seen Turning the Angle of the Camera Before Urinating in the Water
He was allegedly seen in security footage leaving his office, turning the angle of the security camera, then urinating into the water supply, officials said in a statement shared with media alongside the security footage.
Despite having changed the angle of the security camera, Mastin could allegedly be seen in full view of the camera and at one occasion, looking directly at the camera.
Unfortunately, city officials do not know if Mastin urinated in the water in the past as the surveillance footage only saves footage from the last 30 days.
'Disgusting and Unacceptable'
"I am extremely disappointed, and I find this conduct disgusting and unacceptable," Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment said. "This type of behavior will never be tolerated in parish government."
Ascension Parish officials reportedly learned of Mastin's actions shortly after March 22, according to the statement. An investigation was opened that same morning, and by afternoon, Mastin was terminated from his position, according to reports.
Mastin was taken into custody just hours after he was fired, according to jail records.
