Former Jennings teacher pleads guilty to improper relationship
Published 6:00 pm Thursday, September 19, 2019
Will have to register as convicted sex offender
JENNINGS — A former Jennings High School English teacher accused of having an improper relationship with a male student has pleaded guilty to the charges.
Rachel Marie Gillespie, 28, of Jennings pleaded guilty to carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile on Sept. 9 in the 31st Judicial District Court.
She will have to register as a convicted sex offender as part of the guilty plea.
Gillespie was arrested in August 2017 by the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office following an investigation into allegations of having an inappropriate relationship with the student.
The investigation followed a complaint that was filed by the Jeff Davis Parish School Board.
Investigators were able to gather enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant.
Conflicts of interest forced both the District Attorney Michael Cassidy and District Judge Steve Gunnell to recuse themselves from the criminal case against Gillepsie.
The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office and retired Lafayette Parish judge Durwood Conque were appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to oversee the matter.
