Quinn will not have to register as a sex offender
A former R.K. Smith Middle School teacher who was arrested in 2012 and charged with molesting a 13-year-old student accepted a plea agreement that includes avoiding further jail time.
Troy Quinn Sr., 43, of Gonzales pleaded no contest to a single count of obscenity. Quinn’s plea was not an admission of guilt, according to court records. He was placed on active probation for five years and was sentenced to three years in jail, although that sentence was suspended because it was his first offense.
The victim and her family agreed to Quinn’s plea agreement, according to court records.
Also, Quinn was not required to register as a sex offender, according to court records.
He was accused of having inappropriate contact with the student over an extended period of time from February through May 2012. He was arrested and originally charged with three counts of molestation and one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile.
Quinn was hired as a health and physical education teacher in 2010.
Federal arrest records reveal he was arrested in 1997 when he was in the U.S. Army for “fraud against the U.S. Government.” The charges were dropped when Quinn agreed to resign from the Army instead of undergoing a court martial, the military’s version of a criminal trial.
Gwen Hitt, human resources director at St. Charles Parish Public Schools, said in 2012 that the school system ran a background check on Quinn through the state police when he applied at the school, but it did not reveal the arrest and fraud charge.
“We did everything that we normally do,” Hitt said. “We checked his references. I have his previous evaluations. We ran our fingerprinting process that we normally do.
Everything checked out and he has glowing recommendations.”Louisiana State Police Public Information Commander Capt. Doug Cain said their background check procedure has tightened up since Quinn’s hiring. Cain said a month after Quinn was hired the law changed and now requires federal arrest records be included in their report on any potential public school employee.
As part of his probation, Quinn is not allowed contact with his victim or any of his former students at R.K. Smith. He cannot hold a position of authority over anyone under the age of 18 and must avoid all contact with the victim.
After his probation is complete, Quinn may appeal to have the obscenity charge expunged from his record.
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