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A father-and-son team starring in the History Channel reality series “Swamp People” were released Friday afternoon from the Terrebonne Parish jail on matching $1,000 bonds following their bookings on charges of aggravated battery in connection with the alleged beating of a Houma man.
Their attorneys, Matthew Ory and Timothy Ellender Jr., said a statement on their behalf would be released later in the day.
Roland Paul “R.P.” Molinere Jr., 51, 156 Matherne St., Bourg, and Roland Paul “Jay Paul” Molinere III, 25, 641 Bourg-LaRose Highway, Bourg, surrendered on warrants at the jail Friday in connection with an Aug. 8 incident.
Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said that on Aug. 13 deputies received a report from the alleged victim that he had been attacked outside of Roland’s Mini Mart, 101 Bourg-LaRose Highway, on Aug.8.
Larpenter said the victim told deputies that after arriving at the store just after 5 p.m. on the day of the occurrence, the pair beat him and struck him with a bottle, that he suffered a black eye, swollen jaw and sustained a knot to his forehead.
According to the report, the man and the Molineres became involved in an argument, and the Bourg men followed the victim’s vehicle to the store with theirs.
The convenience store’s surveillance camera captured the incident. According to an official who viewed the video, it shows a pickup pulling up to the store with three men in it.
Two of the occupants went into the store while the driver waited. Another pickup with its hazard flashers blinking pulled into the lot and two men identified as the Molineres exited.
The video shows two men from the other truck emerged from the store, and the Molineres “wailing” on one of the men.
Store owner Roland Henry, a former Terrebonne Parish School Board member, broke up the fracas.
Henry did not wish to discuss the incident but confirmed that he turned over the video in response to a request from law enforcement.
The Molineres have been featured in the History Channel show’s episodes since its 2010 inception. “Swamp People” focuses on teams of alligator hunters in the Terrebonne-Lafourche region and the Atchafalaya Basin, and the show’s popularity has brought celebrity status to the Molineres.
Contacted Friday afternoon, History Channel spokeswoman Vicky Kahn said she was not aware of the incident or the arrests.
Another “Swamp People” cast member, Joseph “Trapper Joe” Lafont, was arrested in 2012 on a domestic battery charge in Florida. He did not appear on the following season’s show, but the network has not stated whether that was due to the incident.
