04-19-2006, 06:07 PM
A High School teacher and coach was arrested Tuesday evening after allegedly chatting online with an investigator who he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
According to a news release from the Parish Sheriff's Office, Arthur W. Goodly, 26, of the 100 block of McDonald Street, chatted with someone he believed was a teenage girl for about two hours Tuesday afternoon. According to the release, Goodly set up a meeting with the "girl" at a public location in Iowa for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Authorities said when Goodly showed up for the meeting, he was arrested and charged with computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
Kim Myers, public information officer for the Parish Sheriff's Office, was unable to provide further information about the sting operation or the events leading to Goodly's arrest late Tuesday. Myers also said she did not know how investigators learned Goodly was employed at Local High.
Goodly is listed on the Local High Web site as a physical education teacher and boys' head track coach at the school. He also was an assistant football coach at the school. Patrick Leonard, principal of Local HS, confirmed Goodly is employed at the school, but when contacted he was unaware of Goodly's arrest.
"I'm completely in the dark," Leonard said.
Mona Bernard, director of human resources and risk management for the school system, said when a school system employee is arrested, policy calls for the employee to be placed on administrative leave with pay while school officials look into the matter.
"We'll just have to get to work, see what the situation is here, contact him and go from there," Bernard said.
According to the Louisiana Attorney General's Office, computer-aided solicitation of a minor occurs when someone 18 years old or older knowingly contacts or communicates through a computer with someone under 18 years old, or thought to be under 18 years old, for the purpose or intent of having sex.
Anyone convicted of the charge can be fined up to $10,000 and face a prison sentence of two to 10 years without probation, parole or suspension of sentence
According to a news release from the Parish Sheriff's Office, Arthur W. Goodly, 26, of the 100 block of McDonald Street, chatted with someone he believed was a teenage girl for about two hours Tuesday afternoon. According to the release, Goodly set up a meeting with the "girl" at a public location in Iowa for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Authorities said when Goodly showed up for the meeting, he was arrested and charged with computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
Kim Myers, public information officer for the Parish Sheriff's Office, was unable to provide further information about the sting operation or the events leading to Goodly's arrest late Tuesday. Myers also said she did not know how investigators learned Goodly was employed at Local High.
Goodly is listed on the Local High Web site as a physical education teacher and boys' head track coach at the school. He also was an assistant football coach at the school. Patrick Leonard, principal of Local HS, confirmed Goodly is employed at the school, but when contacted he was unaware of Goodly's arrest.
"I'm completely in the dark," Leonard said.
Mona Bernard, director of human resources and risk management for the school system, said when a school system employee is arrested, policy calls for the employee to be placed on administrative leave with pay while school officials look into the matter.
"We'll just have to get to work, see what the situation is here, contact him and go from there," Bernard said.
According to the Louisiana Attorney General's Office, computer-aided solicitation of a minor occurs when someone 18 years old or older knowingly contacts or communicates through a computer with someone under 18 years old, or thought to be under 18 years old, for the purpose or intent of having sex.
Anyone convicted of the charge can be fined up to $10,000 and face a prison sentence of two to 10 years without probation, parole or suspension of sentence
