Charges against MDOT’s Brown dropped

Charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct were dropped Friday evening against Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Butch Brown.

Brown was arrested at 6 a.m. Friday at the Beau Rivage Casino and Resort after a security guard spotted him sleeping in front of a slot machine.

Beau Rivage spokeswoman  told the Associated Press the casino considers the matter closed. Cracchiola-Spain has not returned messages from the Mississippi Business Journal since Friday.

Brown denied he had been arrested at all Friday afternoon when the MBJ reached him on his cell phone.

“I haven’t been involved in anything drunk or disorderly,” he said.

Brown changed his tune about an hour later, after his mugshot had appeared on the MBJ’s website, and he started referring other media to the Beau Rivage.

Last  year, the state Senate confirmed Brown as head of MDOT for another four-year term.