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COURT RECORDS LAYOUT SERIOUS FELONY CHARGES AGAINST 34-YEAR-OLD HEIDI VERRETT. SHE PLED GUILTY TO HAVING SEX WITH 3 UNDERAGE TEENS AND SENDING LEWD MESSAGES TO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 13. 12:07:07 WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT -- IT HAPPENED IN 2016, WHEN SHE WAS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER IN TERREBONNE PARISH. THIS WEEK, SHE TOOK A PLEA DEAL KNOCKING THOSE FELONIES DOWN TO MISDEMEANORS. >> IF YOU COMMIT A CRIME LIKE THAT AGAINST A JUVENILE HOW WOULD IT NOT BE A FELONY? WHY WOULD IT BE A MISDEMEANOR? JENNIFER: THE PLEA DEAL ALLOWS VERRETT TO TEACH AGAIN, WHEN HER PROBATION EXPIRES TWO YEARS FROM NOW. THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO AGREED TO THE TERMS SAID HE DID WITH WITH INPUT FROM THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE ATTORNEY SAYING THE CONVICTIONS WILL KEEP VERRETT OUT OF SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF BACKGROUND CHECKS. 14:34:06 10. SCHOOL OFFICIALS IN TERREBONNE CONFIRMED THEY WOULD NEVER HIRE ANYONE WITH HER RECORD. SOME IN HOUMA SAY THAT’S SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH. >> I THINK THAT’S HORRIBLE. I THINK THE SYSTEM FAILED THE CHILDREN. THAT’S HORRIBLE. YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO SEE HER BACK IN THE SYSTEM. JENNIFER: AS PART OF THE DEAL, VERETTE ALSO AVOIDS GOING TO JAIL. HER SIX MONTH SENTENCE WAS SUSPENDED. SHE’LL HAVE TWO YEARS OF PROBATION INSTEAD AND PAY $900 IN FINES. REPORTING IN HOUMA, JENNIFER CROCKETT.

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A former substitute teacher who pleaded guilty to having sex with underage teens in Terrebonne Parish is not going to jail. Instead, 34-year-old Heidi Domangue Verrett could soon be headed back to the classroom thanks to a plea deal she signed in Houma.As part of the deal, Verret pleaded guilty to having sex with three underage teenagers and sending lewd messages to child under the age of 13 between Oct. 1, 2016, and Nov. 30, 2016. Verret worked as a substitute teacher at Terrebonne public schools at the time, although the records do not state that the acts took place on school grounds. When she was arrested in 2016, Verret faced three felony charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of incident behavior with a juvenile. Under the plea agreement, the charges were reduced to three misdemeanor counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. The plea also bans Verret from teaching for two years. After that, she has no restrictions on residency or employment because she did not have to register as a sex offender.A representative for Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz Jr. said he was not available for an interview regarding the deal, or to send an official statement. However, the office did put WDSU in touch with Dennis Elfert, the assistant district attorney handling the case. Elfert said the deal was made after receiving input from the victims and their families. He said he reached out to the Terrebonne Parish School Board to ensure that Verret would never be rehired. He also said that she would not likely be hired at other school districts because a background check would reveal the Terrebonne conviction.Philip Martin, superintendent of Terrebonne Schools, said that the district would never hire anyone with Verret’s background. Verret will avoid jail time under the agreement. Judge John Walker suspended Verret’s six-month prison sentence. She will be on unsupervised probation for two years, instead. Verret was also ordered to pay $900 in fines plus court costs.