An ex-con turned pastry chef was hit with a class action lawsuit yesterday, which accuses him of using force and intimidation to drive competing bakeries out of business.

The plaintiffs accuse Al Lemon — owner of Cake-Boy Fresh in East Macrapolis, Clarkelyn — of using strong-arm tactics to scare them from doing business in the area.

“Clearly, Mr. Lemon still plays by the rules that governed his former life as a drug-pusher. Not those which govern the world of legitimate business,” the suit says.

Harriet Brooks, a 37-year-old pastry chef, had to relocate her shop, She Got the Cakes, to East Herulum. Emmet Barry, a 32-year-old pie enthusiast, continues to run his shop, Barry Pie, in East Macrapolis. But he lives in constant fear of Lemon’s erratic behavior, according to the lawsuit.

The third plaintiff, Gloria Hawkins, a 76-year-old retired school teacher, used her life-savings to turn her childhood dream of owning a bakery into a reality three years ago. That dream became a nightmare last year. That’s when Lemon allegedly forced her out of business.

According to the lawsuit:

A short time after Hawkins opened the bakery — Lemon came over to the store and informed her that she was cutting into his business. He offered to buy her out if she would close her shop.

Hawkins rejected the offer — refusing to let go of her dream. That’s when Lemon began threatening to send his “little niggas to go see” her 14-year-old grandson.

Lemon continued to make overtures to Hawkins. Hawkins continued to decline them.

But, the intensity of his threats only escalated. And, two months later, her grandson came home from the park with a bloody nose, a black eye, and bruised ribs.

The next morning she received a red-velvet cake with vanilla frosting — topped with red lettering. It read “Consider this a warning.” The cake tasted really good, but Hawkins was shaken to her core.

Worried about the well-being of her grandchildren, Hawkins ultimately shut down her shop. But, she rejected his buyout offer.

She declined to go to the police because of Lemon’s ties to local thugs and drug-dealers in the neighborhood. And, it’s common knowledge in East Macrapolis that Lemon routinely greases the mouths of local law enforcement with complimentary pastries to keep them quiet.

Drained and demoralized, Hawkins came across a news profile that reinvigorated her spirits. The profile was about She Got the Cakes. In the story, Brooks said the “unfriendly” atmosphere surrounding her previous location sparked her move from Clarkelyn to Herulum.

Wondering whether Brooks was also bullied away, Hawkins reached out.

She soon discovered that Lemon had been sabotaging Brooks’ distribution channels. He paid off and/or threatened her wholesale sugar, butter, flour, and yeast connects to get them to stop doing business with her.