An educator on the Mississippi Gulf Coast has been taken into custody for allegedly committing sex crimes against a minor.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office confirms that 38-year-old James Hawkins was arrested on Thursday afternoon for having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Sheriff John Ledbetter says investigators confirmed the allegations against Hawkins, an Ocean Springs High School physics teacher. He is charged with one count of sexual battery and is being held at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center.
The investigation is ongoing and Hawkins could face more charges. Anyone with additional information on the case is asked to contact Captain Kristen Johnson at (228)769-7559.
