aiexpress – A married father and physics teacher at a high school reportedly planned to elope with a student from Mississippi to Louisiana after having sex with the teen more than once.
On November 30, James Hawkins was arrested on allegations of sexual battery on a juvenile. The 38-year-old was previously employed at Ocean Springs High School in Ocean Springs, a seaside city. According to the Sun Herald, he resided with his wife and their toddler.
According to WLOX, police first became aware of Hawkins’ alleged misconduct when the 17-year-old girl contacted her parents.
“The victim said that it began in the springtime of 2023 before the last school year ended,” said Jackson County Sheriff Captain Kristen Johnson, according to WLOX.
“According to Mr. Hawkins, he admitted they had sex approximately one time a month, including at his house and in her car.”
During the same interrogation, Hawkins allegedly told authorities that he intended to transport the teenager beyond state lines, which Johnson believes is sufficient reason to keep Hawkins in jail.
“He said that they had made plans to go to Louisiana to elope and things were moving faster than they originally expected,” she was quoted as saying by WLOX.
Hawkins’ bond was set at $150,000, and he was instructed not to contact the adolescent girl. The case is still being investigated and will likely go before a grand jury.
