A man from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who was caught on video urinating into water at a public water plant in Ascension Parish, has pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Instead of the serious felony charges he initially faced, Michael Mastin, 58, now faces probation and a fine.
The incident happened at a water plant in Donaldsonville, where surveillance footage showed Mastin tampering with a camera before walking over to a water tank and urinating into it. Initially, he was charged with two counts of contaminating water supplies and two counts of damaging critical infrastructure. However, the case took a turn as prosecutors reviewed the evidence and consulted experts.
On Monday, Mastin entered a plea deal in court. He admitted to the lesser charges of criminal trespass and misdemeanor criminal mischief. The court handed him a suspended seven-month prison sentence, along with a $500 fine and court costs. He will also serve two years of probation.
District Attorney Ricky Babin explained that the more serious charges didn’t hold up under scrutiny. After a thorough review of the facts and discussions with the utilities department, it was determined that there was no intentional damage to the facility. The water in question, Babin said, hadn’t yet been treated, and experts confirmed it was never contaminated. Public announcements also reassured residents that the water supply remained safe.
Babin emphasized that while Mastin’s actions were reckless and harmed public trust, they didn’t meet the legal requirements for the original felony charges. The damage to the plant wasn’t intentional, and the water supply wasn’t compromised. However, Mastin’s behavior—tampering with the filtration tank and entering the plant without permission—was still a serious matter.
Mastin’s plea deal and sentence aim to hold him accountable for his actions while reflecting the actual facts of the case. Despite the lack of physical damage, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding public resources like water facilities.
