Former ‘Survivor’ contestant and Louisiana principal convicted of taping students’ mouths shut

A Louisiana Republican Party elected official, minister and former reality TV contestant was convicted of cruelty to minors during his previous role as principal of the Christian school he founded.

John Raymond, a 62-year-old member of the state Republican Party central committee, was found guilty on Monday of three counts of child abuse. He was convicted of duct-taping students’ mouths while he was principal of Lakeside Christian School in the southeastern city of Slidell in 2022.

The jury from the parish of St. Tammany also convicted a former “Survivor” contestant of second-degree cruelty to a child for holding his hand over a 4-year-old child’s mouth and preventing him from breathing that same year. His sentencing is scheduled for October 23.

Raymond did not respond to requests for comment on the verdict from the USA TODAY Network. He previously denied the allegations against him.

“I am completely innocent of these charges and I have every confidence that in a fair trial I will be completely acquitted,” Raymond said in an interview last year. “I love children and that’s why I founded this school. I have never harmed a child and I look forward to putting these false accusations behind me.”

Raymond said the allegations stem from “disgruntled former employees looking to crush themselves.”

The Louisiana Republican Party will remove Raymond

The Louisiana Republican Party’s executive committee is expected to remove Raymond, according to Chairman Derek Babcock, who confirmed the vote would take place.

“As soon as I learned of the ruling, I provided that information to our mandates committee, as our bylaws require,” Babcock said, as reported by The Shreveport Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. “The mandates committee will return to the executive committee. We’re just making sure we follow the procedure, but it’s quite simple.”

Last year, the Republican Party endorsed Raymond in his unsuccessful bid for a House seat while awaiting trial.

Louisiana Republican Mike Bayham of St. Bernarda told the USA TODAY Network that he believed the leadership of the State Republican Party Central Committee should remove Raymond, citing rules that allow for a two-thirds majority vote of the executive committee.

Bayham, who is also a member of the Republican State Central Committee, wrote on Monday, “It’s time to put an end to this embarrassment.”

Pastor, owner of a radio station and participant of the “Survivor” program.

Raymond is also the lead pastor of New Horizon Church in Slidell and operates the Christian radio station he owns, The Bridge 88.7-FM.

He also appeared in “Survivor: Thailand,” the fifth season of the reality show that aired in 2002. After receiving six votes, he became the first person eliminated from the season.

He is a well-known figure at the state Capitol, having testified at numerous hearings in support of bills such as requiring schools to post “In God We Trust” signs in classrooms, officially allowing Bible courses in public schools, and advocating for LGBTQ restrictions.

Among his written campaign promises: “Reject the woke agenda.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Survivor’ player, Louisiana official convicted of cruelty to students