Mercier sentenced to 10 years probation

GONZALES — Houston Alan Mercier, the Nixon-Smiley Middle School coach convicted of having an improper relationship between an educator and a student, received 90 days in the Gonzales County jail, 10 years’ deferred adjudication and a $2,500 fine during proceedings before Judge W.C. Kirkendall’s 25th District Court Friday.

Instead of proceeding with the jury trial scheduled for Jan. 27, Kirkendall accepted a plea bargain brokered by County Attorney Paul Watkins’ office back on Oct. 25.

Mercier, 25, was convicted of improper relationship between educator and student, sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child sexual contact.

The plea agreement spares the victim from having to retell intimate details of the ordeal in front of strangers in open court.  

On April 9, Nixon police arrested Mercier for an incident that occurred on the evening of April 6 involving a 14-year-old female student.  Nixon Police Chief Chris Almaguer said at the time Mercier was brought in for questioning, he fully cooperated with the authorities, leading to the issuance of a warrant for Mercier’s arrest.

That same month, Nixon-Smiley CISD Superintendent Dr. Cathy Booth said Mercier was new to the district, having taken the job in October 2012, and had passed the necessary criminal background checks.

“This has been a really difficult situation for our whole school community – teachers, staff and students,” Booth said. “There are so many great things going on every day but this is like a dark shadow that clouds it all.”