Keith sentenced for sex crimes

After pleading no contest to all charges against him in February 2016, former Iberville Parish Teacher of the Year Keavin Keith was recently sentenced on 35 counts of sex crimes.

Keith, 31-year-old of 58060 Desobry St. in Plaquemine, was indicted by a grand jury in July 2015 on five counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and 30 counts of prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and a student.

In May 2015, one of Keith's former students reported the two of them had a sexual relationship while she was still a student at MSA-West.  Keith was arrested later that night.  

Further investigation from the initial arrest revealed Keith allegedly had sexual relations with two other students, and the he fathered the child of one of the victims associated with the investigation.

Judge Alvin Batiste set a sentencing date for May 11, 2016.

According to District Attorney Richard J. Ward, Jr. and Judge Alvin Batiste, Keith was sentenced to serve 10 years in the Department of Corrections for five counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile which eight of those years were suspended.

Keith was also placed on probation for a period of five years which is to begin once he is released from the Department of Corrections.

Keith was also sentenced to serve six months in the parish jail for each of his 30 counts of prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and a student to run concurrent.

“The detectives assigned to this case did an outstanding job bringing him to justice,” Iberville Sheriff Brett Stassi said on Keith’s no contest plea.  “Our working relationship with the District Attorney’s Office resulted in swift justice for all involved.”