Former teacher sentenced to 1 year for sexually assaulting multiple students

(FOX 9) - A former Forest Lake Area Middle School teacher was sentenced to 365 days in jail Friday for sexually assaulting multiple students.

James E. Carter, 58, was found guilty of second- and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in June for sexually assaulting two juvenile students from 2018 and 2020.

According to a Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigation, two juveniles told investigators their former middle school teacher, identfied later as Carter, had sexually assaulted them at his home on several occasions. 

Carter would reportedly employ current and former students to perform work at his home and provide gifts to them, according to the complaint.

The ruling requires Carter to serve six months of his sentence in custody, with the opportunity to serve the remainder of his sentence through alternative jail sentence programs.

In addition to jail time, Carter will be placed on probation for 25 years, and will be required to register as a sex offender.