Roswell teacher charged in teen contact

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE/KBIM) - A Roswell teacher accused of making sexual advances to a teen he was mentoring is out of jail but not back at work.

James Ogas, 38, faced a judge for the first time Wednesday charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor. The charges are 3rd-degree felonies.

Investigators say the alleged contact happened inside the automotive shop at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell where Ogas is a part-time automotive-technician teacher.

According to court documents, twice last month Ogas inappropriately touched the 17-year-old who was part of a program for troubled teens sponsored by the New Mexico National Guard.

Investigators said along with the touching, Ogas frequently wrote the teen letters, which were described as sexually suggestive.

Ogas turned himself in to state police last week. He was released from the Chaves County Detention Center after posting a $50,000 bond.

Ogas has been suspended from teaching at the school while the university conducts an internal investigation. The president of the university said he hopes this was all a misunderstanding.