LAKE CHARLES, La. — Dr. Candice Matthews is questioning whether political conflicts surrounding former Calcasieu Parish district attorney candidate Christian Chesson affected criminal proceedings involving his son, Trevor Chesson.

Dr. Matthews said her team reviewed police reports and court documents examining the father’s political campaigns, the handling of his son’s prosecutions and Lake Charles City Court Judge Ron Richard’s alleged involvement in a police investigation.

According to Dr. Matthews, Christian Chesson challenged the established district attorney’s office in 2014. When Trevor Chesson was arrested on criminal charges in 2016, the district attorney’s office recused itself, and the Louisiana attorney general’s office assumed the prosecution.

Dr. Matthews said Trevor Chesson subsequently completed a pretrial intervention program. She said compliance was certified July 6, 2017, and an assistant attorney general filed a motion to dismiss the charges with prejudice Aug. 22, 2017.

Christian Chesson ran for district attorney again in 2020 against Stephen Dwight. Dr. Matthews questioned whether political conflicts continued to affect the handling of his son’s later cases.

Those concerns include a Dec. 24, 2021, police response after Trevor Chesson visited his former girlfriend’s residence. Dr. Matthews said a 33-second recording showed him speaking from a bedroom doorway and leaving when asked, without weapons, threats or forced entry.

According to Dr. Matthews, Richard flagged down a responding Lake Charles police sergeant, escorted him to the residence and facilitated officers’ entry. She also alleged that Richard called the complainant while police were interviewing her.

Dr. Matthews questioned why a sitting judge became involved and whether his presence influenced the investigation that led to an unauthorized-entry prosecution.

She also disputed a Feb. 22, 2022, arraignment notice listing possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, citing the dismissal of Trevor Chesson’s earlier charges. She said another notice listed unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

According to Dr. Matthews, a motion seeking the district attorney’s recusal was denied following a May 15, 2023, hearing. She alleged that defense counsel failed to introduce police reports and other materials documenting Richard’s involvement.

She said Trevor Chesson resolved his criminal matters through a plea agreement involving probation June 11, 2024. She said he filed a legal malpractice lawsuit against former counsel March 5, 2026, alleging that evidence concerning judicial involvement had been withheld from the recusal hearing.

Dr. Matthews questioned why the district attorney’s office recused itself from the earlier prosecution while the later request for recusal was denied.