Substitute Teacher Who Had Sex With Teen Boys Avoids Jail And Won’t Even Have To Register As A Sex Offender

A former substitute teacher from Louisiana, who has admitted to having sex with three underage boys, will not serve any jail time and won't even have to register as a sex offender as part of a plea deal.

Heidi M. Verrett, 34, pleaded guilty last month to three misdemeanor counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, the Houma Courier reports. The former substitute teacher was arrested in 2016 for having sex with three 15- and 16-year-old boys at her home. She was also accused of sending inappropriate texts to a 12-year-old boy.

Verrett has been handed down a suspended six-month sentence, two years of unsupervised probation and and a $900 fine.

She could technically be teaching after that probation is over, WDSU reports.

The prosecutor, however, insisted to the Houma Courier that will likely not happen.

“We have been assured she would never be able to teach in the school system again,” Assistant District Attorney Dennis Elfert said. “From a legal standpoint, the maximum probationary period is two years, and that is the extent to which the probation can legally be bound. But we specifically indicated to the victims’ families that we have been assured that regardless of whatever the legal requirements are the School Board would never allow her to teach here again.”

Verrett used to teach at various schools in Terrebonne Parish.

Heidi Verret was arrested for one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and three counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Photo: Houma Police Department

“I think that it was a good result considering the nature of the charges,” said Teresa King, Verrett's attorney. “She wanted to avoid the risk of jail time. If we had gone to trial, there’s always that risk. So I think the deal was worked out in everyone’s best interest.”