Mardi King Arrested On Sex Offender Charges
A Mardi Gras tradition and Louisiana's sex offender laws may cost one Mardi Gras king his crown. The state's statute on sex offenders that prohibits a sex offender from wearing a mask could be a major problem for the King of Houma's Krewe of Mardi Gras.
Glynn Matherne has been a registered sex offender since 2003. One of the traditions of the krewe is the wearing of masks while riding in the krewe's mardi gras parade. This poses a significant problem.
Captain Dawn Foret of the Terrebone Parish Sheriff's office says there are other issues to consider.
"Specifically riding on a float wearing a mask and throwing beads to anyone under the age of 18,"
Foret's comments were reported in a story published by the Louisiana Radio Network. Captain Foret said her office received a complaint that Matherne was a rider on a Mardi Gras float last year. During that parade Matherne was also wearing a mask.
"So based on his ride last year and to prevent him from riding this year he was arrested for violating the rules that sex offenders have to agree to,"
"So it is wildly known by any registered sex offender that these are things that they can not participate in,"