THIBODAUX — A former middle school art teacher in Lafourche Parish was found guilty Wednesday of sexually abusing a student in 2009.

Ralph Cheramie Jr., 64, was convicted of molestation of a juvenile, sexual battery of a minor under 13 and indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13 after a three-day trial. It took the jury an hour to arrive at their verdict, which carries with it a combined sentence of over 100 years.

The victim initially reported the incident to school administrators, with an internal investigation yielding little action and law enforcement not becoming involved.

As an adult, the victim came forward again to report the incident directly to law enforcement. District Attorney Kristine Russel said the testimony of another victim of Cheramie’s abuse showed Cheramie’s pattern and method of grooming young students.

Chief of Trials Jason Chatagnier said Cheramie betrayed the trust of his students and violated the fundamental responsibility teachers have for the safety and well-being of their students.

Character evidence submitted by Cheramie's legal team tried to portray the defendant as a “rockstar.”

“In our community, there’s a word to describe what the defendant has done and it isn’t ‘rockstar’ – it’s pedophile,” Chatagnier said.

Cheramie also has pending charges in connection to another victim. WBRZ reported in 2022 that Cheramie was previously charged with oral sexual battery, sexual battery and indecent behavior with a juvenile.