PORT ALLEN – Two years after resigning from a westside judgeship amid turmoil, Robin Free has decided to challenge incumbent Mike Cazes for sheriff.

Free was suspended in 2016 then quit the following year after being accused by the Judiciary Commission of inappropriate actions involving individuals that appeared before him in court.

Free was found to have inappropriately taken a trip paid for by an attorney with business before his court.  He was also accused of a range of offenses including inappropriate jokes from the bench and holding people in contempt illegally.

Free resigned just weeks before his year-long suspension was to end back in 2017.

It is an unexpected twist in the race for sheriff that also features Barnell Williams and Mike Zito.

Sources said Free qualified in the last few minutes. Candidates had until the close of business Thursday to sign up to run for office.

Cazes is bidding for his 5th term as sheriff.

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