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St. Landry Parish Corrections deputy booked on malfeasance in office charge

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Posted at 12:10 PM, Mar 30, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-30 17:58:16-04

A St. Landry Parish Corrections deputy has been booked on a charge of malfeasance in office after allegedly punching a restrained inmate last year.

According to Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz, the incident occurred during the evening hours of December 12, 2021, at the St. Landry Parish Jail.

Guidroz says the victim, who was an inmate, was being combative with officers and was placed in a restraint chair to prevent him from harming himself and others.

34-year-old Nicholas Richard Veale, who was employed as a correctional deputy at the time of the incident, allegedly struck the victim twice in the abdomen with a closed fist.

The victim was wearing hand restraints at the time of the incident.

Guidroz says Veale was stopped by other deputies and pushed away from the victim.

After reviewing security video footage and receiving witness statements from deputies, an internal investigation was immediately ordered, Guidroz says.

Veale voluntarily resigned from his position with the sheriff’s office on December 13, 2021.

After the internal investigation, Guidroz says an arrest warrant was issued for Veale on March 9. Several attempts were made to contact Veale in regards to the warrant, but were unsuccessful.

On March 28, 2022, Veale was booked into the St. Landry Parish Jail on charges of simple battery and malfeasance in office. His bond was set at $3,000.

“It is very troubling to me that one of my own deputies would mistreat any person who is incarcerated, especially when we strive to treat all incarcerated persons with dignity and respect. However, none of my deputies are above the law," Guidroz said. "If any Sheriff’s Office employee commits a criminal act on or off duty, they will be arrested and charged for the crime.”

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