2 teachers accused of group sex with student

By: 10 years ago

This combo of handout images provided by the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, LA shows Rachel Respess, 24, left, and Shelley Dufresne, 32, under arrest on Wednesday Oct. 1, 2014. Dufresne and Rachel Respess both from Destrehan High School are accused of having group sex with a 16-year-old student. Dufresne is also accused of having sex with the teen at her home in Montz, LA. AP

GRETNA, Louisiana — A teenager’s boasts to fellow students about having group sex with two teachers led to two investigations and the arrests of both faculty members of a New Orleans-area school, according to authorities.

Shelley Dufresne, 32, of Montz, and Rachel Respess, 24, of Kenner, are accused of having a sexual encounter with the 16-year-old at Respess’ apartment the night of Sept. 12 and into the early morning, Kenner police Chief Michael Glaser said.

In Kenner, each teacher faces charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. They were arrested Wednesday and released on bond.

Dufresne also is accused of having sex with the boy on another occasion, at her home earlier in September. She is charged with one count of carnal knowledge of a juvenile in that incident. Dufresne also was released on bond in that case, and placed under house arrest with requirements that she undergo “intensive mental health treatment,” according to a St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office statement.

Officials first heard of the alleged incidents on Sept. 26 through reports that “a male student was bragging to other students that he was having a sexual relationship with teachers,” according to the statement.

Both are teachers at Destrehan High School, about 23 miles west of New Orleans.

At a news conference, Glaser said a teacher’s responsibility is the safety and education of children.

“When it goes outside those lines, I do believe the community should be outraged,” he said.

Respess’ lawyer, Jeffrey Smith of New Orleans, declined to comment Friday and said he was preparing to talk to prosecutors about the case. Information on Dufresne’s attorney was unavailable.