A former Lake Charles Charter Academy teacher charged with raping a 10-year-old student had her bond lowered from $1.3 million to $750,000 during a court appearance before Judge Mike Canaday.
Deidre Rae Smith, 34, pleaded not guilty in August to eight counts of first-degree rape; seven counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile; and two counts of sexual battery of a victim under the age of 13.
The proceeding Tuesday in state district court was not a hearing, although witnesses were present and prepared to testify.
Canaday said the bond reduction was a result of "an agreement between the state and the defense."
Defense attorneys told Canaday that they wanted to reserve the right to come back into court at a future date and have a full bond reduction hearing to possibly further reduce her bond in the event Smith cannot make this bond and Canaday agreed.
Kim Myers of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office said Smith was first arrested in May for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with the victim.
Smith was booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center May 1 on charges of first-degree rape and felony indecent behavior with a juvenile. She was released on a $50,000 bond set by Judge Robert Wyatt.
After an investigation, Smith was re-arrested in June for additional alleged incidents with the victim. At that time, Smith was booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center on nine counts of first-degree rape, five counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, two counts of sexual battery and one count of oral sexual battery. Judge Guy Bradberry set Smith's bond at $1.3 million.
In August, Smith was re-arrested after an investigation revealed additional incidents that investigators said took place in Beauregard Parish. Myers said Smith was taken from the Calcasieu Correctional Center to Beauregard Parish to face those charges and then brought back and re-booked into the Correctional Center.
Chief Deputy Joe Toler of the Beauregard Sheriff's Office said investigators determined new charges were warranted after learning "some activities with the victim took place in Ragley."
According to Myers, the original investigation began in April when the CPSO received a complaint from an administrator at Lake Charles Charter Academy.
Detectives said Smith had been having inappropriate contact with the victim since the end of 2018, Myers said, and Smith allegedly had sexual intercourse with the victim.
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