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Teacher arrested after hiding in teen's closet

7 years 11 months 2 weeks ago Thursday, April 14 2016 Apr 14, 2016 April 14, 2016 3:14 PM April 14, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ

ASCENSION- A band teacher at an Iberia Parish high school has not been back to school since he was caught hiding in a teenager's closet, according to the school system.

Ascension Parish sheriff's deputies arrested Jeremy Conner, 30, Wednesday on a count of indecent behavior with a juvenile after the teen's mother said she found him hiding in the girl's closet. He fled the house before investigators arrived, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office.

Conner was released from Ascension Parish jail Thursday on a $50,000 bond.

Conner works as a band instructor at Westgate High School in Iberia Parish. In a press release, Superintendent Dale Henderson said Conner has not been to school since before his arrest. He called Wednesday morning to say he would be late, but never arrived, the release said. He has been considered absent without leave.

Henderson said the school system has begun an internal investigation. The teenager in whose room Conner was allegedly found is not associated with the Iberia Parish school system, he said.

Lt. Col. Bobby Webre said detectives began investigating after the mother reported the crime. Investigators say that investigation showed that Conner had been communicating with the girl for months.

Webre said Conner admitted to sending inappropriate text messages to her.

The investigation is continuing and more charges are possible, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office.

Westgate High will have a meeting with parents to discuss who will replace Conner as band director for the band competition next week, Henderson said.

Before he worked in New Iberia, Conner taught for more than three years in the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, according to that school system's records.

He left the East Baton Rouge system in 2014 after an aggravated battery arrest for allegedly hitting a student with a chair during class at North Banks Middle School, arrest records show.

In that instance, a student asked if he could play a game on Conner's phone. The student used the phone to take pictures.
Conner then became angry and threw a chair at the student, cutting the student's arm.

Conner completed a pre-trial intervention process in that case and was not criminally charged, court records show.

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