$50,000 bond given to teacher accused of raping 10-year-old raises concerns

Abuse happens is that we live in a world marred by sin. Often, those who molest children have themselves been molested. They may have been hurt in some other way as well and choose to victimize children in an attempt to regain a sense of power or worthiness. Many times, sexual abuse is a misguided attempt to find intimacy. Whatever the emotional, familial, or psychological history of the molester, sexual abuse is evil.

Molestation or sexual abuse is NEVER the fault of the abused child. Many victims of abuse experience shame and guilt. But children cannot be held responsible for crimes perpetrated against them. This is not to say that victims of abuse are absolved of responsibility for their own actions, including those prompted by scars of the abuse. But there is nothing shameful about having been abused. The shame belongs to the abuser alone.

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) – A $50,000 bond was set by Judge Robert Wyatt for Deidre Smith, the Lake Charles Charter Academy teacher accused of first degree rape and indecent behavior of a juvenile.

“There needs to be another zero on there,” Travis Hafsaas said, who lives in Lake Charles.

That was the reaction many we spoke with had when they heard a Smith was out on bond the same day as her arrest.

“All these other bonds of people who sell drugs, they do this and they do that, they get the worst,” Yosha, a local mom, said. “That’s bad, don’t get me wrong. But this is, you don’t think this is worse?”

7News looked into bonds set in Calcasieu Parish for others arrested on a count of first-degree rape of a minor over the last year:

• Gregg Hammock was arrested on first-degree rape of a 17-year-old, with a bond set by Judge Clayton Davis of $750,000.
  
• Donald James Ellis, Jr. was arrested on first-degree rape of an 11-year-old, with a bond set by Judge Ron Ware of $100,000.
  
• Randy Gallow was arrested for first-degree rape and indecent behavior of a 10 and 8-year-old, with a bond set by Judge Bradberry of $750,000.
  
• Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John DeRosier said there are several factors judges take into consideration when setting bonds.
  

“How serious is the crime, how likely is it that this defendant will actually commit another crime while awaiting trial, how likely is it that this defendant will be there for a trial,” DeRosier said.

As for the severity of the crime, he said rape of a minor is one of the worst, but DeRosier said he would not speak to any judge’s decisions for setting bonds.

“Let me suggest that I am not going to second guess any judge on a bond amount,” DeRosier said.

7News also asked whether or not he thought gender played a factor when setting bonds.

“I’m not a bond setter. Can’t answer that,” DeRosier said. “I suspect it could.”

For some living in Lake Charles, they say knowing someone accused of these crimes could so easily walk free is frightening.

“I can’t even let my daughter go to school, or my son go to school in the morning and feel protected in a school,” Yosha said.

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StevieRay Hansen
Editor, HNewsWire.com

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