Louisiana Attorney General James D. “Buddy” Caldwell’s Cyber Crime Unit arrested a Franklinton woman Friday for five felony counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

Kimberly Cooke, 40, of 17580 Louisiana Highway 450, was arrested after a joint investigation by the Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Unit, Louisiana State Police and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office revealed that Cooke had engaged in sexual acts with juveniles.    

Cooke was booked into the Washington Parish Prison. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 on each count of carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

Cooke, a former teacher at Franklinton High School, was originally arrested by the Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 14 after law enforcement officials received information that she had engaged in sexual activity with juveniles.

According to a Sheriff’s Office release from January, there was no evidence to indicate Cooke engaged in sexual activity with students while she was employed by the school.

“According to information obtained during the investigation, including interviews and written statements, Cooke had sexual relations inside her home with at least two Franklinton High School students, both under the age of 17,” the release stated.

At that time, she was charged with violation of Section 14:81 of the Louisiana Revised Code, Indecent Behavior With Juveniles. The Act defines such behavior as “Any lewd or lascivious act upon the person or in the presence of any child under the age of 17, when there is an age difference of greater than two years between the two persons.”