james p. gaharan Archives - American Press

Former teacher rearrested

A former LaGrange High School teacher arrested in May for carnal knowledge of a juvenile has been arrested again for possession of pornography involving juveniles. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. James McGee said James P. Gaharan, Jr., 55, 527 Division St., was arrested Thursday at his residence and charged with five counts of pornography involving juveniles. Gaharan Jr. was previously indicted on two counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, computer aided solicitation of a minor and obstruction of justice.Investigators with the Sheriff’s Office received a complaint regarding Gaharan on May 15 alleging Gaharan was having an “inappropriate sexual relationship” with one of his students.During the investigation, detectives learned that between January and April Gaharan and a then-15-year-old student “engaged in sexual activity at his residence as well as another location in Calcasieu Parish.”Detectives said they also learned Gaharan “engaged in explicit conversations with the student on an adult website.”At the time of his May arrest, Calcasieu Parish Board Superintendent Karl Bruchhaus, in a statement regarding the incident, said, in part, “The Calcasieu Parish School Board became aware of a possible situation at LaGrange High School involving a relationship between a teacher and a current student. The incident was reported to proper authorities as directed by School Board policies.”McGee said in a statement to the American Press that after Gaharan’s May arrest, detectives executed a search warrant on his residence and seized multiple computers, cell phones and other electronic devices. McGee said the department’s computer forensic unit found pornographic images of young females that had been downloaded on a device.On July 25 detectives obtained a warrant for Gaharan’s arrest in the amount of $750,000 signed by Judge Michael Canaday, McGee said. He was arrested the next day and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center.James P. Gaharan