Jury finds former Lafourche Parish art teacher guilty of sexually abusing student
LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A former Lafourche Parish art teacher was found guilty by a jury of sexually abusing a middle school student on Wednesday, May 1.
The Office of District Attorney Kristine Russell reported that 64-year-old Ralph Cheramie Jr. was found guilty of molestation of a juvenile, sexual battery when the victim is under 13 and indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13 following a three-day trial.
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Russell said the victim reported that the sexual abuse happened in 2009 while Cheramie was working at a middle school.
According to the district attorney’s office, “Although the former student initially reported the incident to school administrators, an internal investigation yielded little action, and law enforcement was not involved at the time.”
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The district attorney’s office reported that the victim came forward again as an adult and directly contacted law enforcement, leading to Cheramie’s arrest and conviction.
During the trial, a second victim’s testimony reportedly detailed “Cheramie’s pattern and method of grooming young students.”
Cheramie was found guilty by a unanimous jury and faces “a combined total of well over one hundred years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections.”
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