The Louisiana Republican Party has begun formal proceedings that will likely result in the removal of Slidell pastor John Raymond from his elected seat on the state Republican Central Committee, the party chairman said Wednesday.

Raymond, who is well known in political circles in Baton Rouge and St. Tammany, was convicted Monday of four counts of child abuse stemming from the incidents at the Slidell school he founded. Raymond was elected to the St. Tammany Republican State Central Committee in March. In the same election, he lost his bid for a seat on the Republican Parish Executive Committee.

Derek Babcock, chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, said Raymond is now “at risk of dismissal” because of his conviction under the party’s charter.

Babcock said the party’s audit committee had already begun investigating Raymond, but added: “I think in this case the matter is pretty clear.”

After a six-day trial in state court in Covington, a St. Tammany Parish jury convicted Raymond of aggravated cruelty to juveniles. Raymond had been charged with three counts of taping the mouths of students at Lakeside Christian Academy and one count of second-degree child abuse for placing his hand over the mouth of a 4-year-old student until the child went limp, according to authorities.

Raymond’s defense portrayed the prosecution in this high-profile case as “woke” and said Raymond was a victim of cancel culture.

“I am not guilty,” Raymond said after the jury announced its verdict after about an hour of deliberation.

Attempts to reach Raymond on Wednesday were initially unsuccessful. His attorney, Joseph Long, declined to comment.

Babcock said he began the process of dismissal as soon as he learned of the conviction. He said the Credentials Committee’s findings would be forwarded to the Executive Committee, which requires a two-thirds vote to dismiss a person.

Raymond’s role in party leadership had come under scrutiny after he was charged in 2022. State Republicans faced criticism within the party after they endorsed Raymond in 2023 when he ran for the vacant 104th District House seat against another Republican, Jay Gallé. Gallé won that race with 64% of the vote.

Raymond is pastor of the nondenominational New Horizon Church, which he founded in Slidell.

Babcock said the party must always proceed slowly in removing a committee member because they are elected by the voters of their communities.

However, he added that Republicans must also “protect the party’s brand.”

Raymond, who is free on $100,000 bail, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 23 in 22nd Judicial District Court Judge John Keller. Convictions can carry a sentence of zero to 40 years in prison.