SLIDELL (LA)
WWLTV [New Orleans, LA]
March 13, 2025
By Stephen Melancon
John Raymond, the founder of Lakeside Christian Academy in Slidell, was also ordered to serve three years of probation following his release.
Slidell pastor John Raymond, convicted last year on multiple child cruelty charges, was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison by State District Judge John A. Keller, according to our partners at NOLA.com. Raymond, the founder of Lakeside Christian Academy in Slidell and a former contestant on the reality TV show Survivor, was also ordered to serve three years of probation following his release.
Raymond, 63, was taken into custody immediately following the sentencing but will have the opportunity to remain out on bond while he appeals the ruling, according to court officials.
The conviction stems from a high-profile trial last September, where Raymond was found guilty on four felony child cruelty charges. The charges were related to disciplinary actions he took against students at his school, including taping the mouths of five students shut for talking in class and placing his hand over another student’s mouth until the child “went limp.” Testimonies from witnesses during the six-day trial detailed the abusive behavior, which led to Raymond’s conviction.
Despite his conviction, Raymond has consistently maintained his innocence. In the months following the trial, he sought to have the verdict overturned and requested a new trial. At a hearing last month, Raymond testified that his previous attorney, Joseph Long, had prevented him from taking the stand during the trial. However, Judge Keller dismissed these claims, rejecting both Raymond’s request for a new trial and a post-verdict acquittal.
Raymond’s new defense attorney, Jane Hogan, a specialist in post-trial criminal defense, continues to pursue an appeal.