Craig Mulford Could Face Up to 25 Years in Prison if Convicted

Shreveport Fire Chief Craig Mulford is out on bond today after being booked for malfeasance in office, but he has a legal mess in front of him.

Caddo District Attorney Charles Scott tells KEEL News Mulford could be sentenced to five years in prison on each count and or a $5,000 fine for each count.

A grand jury indicted him on 5 counts of malfeasance in office. Prosecutors claim he did not report allegations of abuse of a mentally challenged man at Station 8 in a timely manner. The Grand Jury has been hearing evidence in the case for several months.

These are the charges outlined in the indictment:

(1) failing to report adult abuse against a mentally challenged man

(2) failing to report to law enforcement about alleged prostitution and undertaking a “sham investigation” in order to conceal the fact that prostitution had occurred

(3) refusing to allow a Shreveport fire captain to speak with an FBI agent and a Louisiana State Police officer

(4) instructing his employees not to talk to law enforcement without getting his permission first

(5) telling two Shreveport fire captains that he had alerted human resources and the City Attorney’s office about the alleged prostitution when in fact he had not.

Five former Shreveport firefighters -- Clint Richardson, Billy Glass, Derrick Harris, Jason Vaughan and Randy Chandler -- are accused of mistreating a mentally disabled man who spent many days and nights at Fire Station No. 8.

Mulford's attorney Paul Carmouche says the allegations are "absolutely ridiculous." As for accusations that Mulford tried to cover up the scandal, Carmouche says "the firemen at Station 8 were fired, they were arrested, and they're facing trial, so if there was a cover up it wasn’t a very good cover up."

Mulford's only comment was: "This too is the day that the Lord has made and I’m gonna rejoice and be glad in it."