Former Teacher Pleads Guilty To Sex With Teenager, Attempted Murder Of Wife

A former teacher of a middle school in Michigan accused of attempting to murder of his wife and also having a physical relationship with a student pleaded guilty to the charges against him in the Kent County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

James Philip Chelekis, 32, was a math teacher at the Crestwood Middle School and worked in the district for about six years. Chelekis was placed on administrative leave by the school district after criminal charges were filed against him. He is no longer employed by the district.

He pleaded no contest to assault with intent to murder in connection to the stabbing of his 33-year-old wife, Amanda Chelekis, in June 2017.

According to a report in the Michigan Live, the former teacher also pleaded guilty to two charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for having sexual relationship with a teenage student. These charges could put him behind bars for a lifetime.

On Jun. 27, police received a 911 call in the wee hours and when they reached the Chelekis couple’s home in Oakvale Drive, Wyoming, they found Amanda lying with her throat slit. However, she survived the attack and informed the police that her husband had attempted to kill her. Her hands were also injured while she tried to protect herself, reported the Michigan Live.

But Chelekis claimed that he took the knife to protect himself during an argument with his wife but unfortunately she fell on the blade and her throat was slit. The couple’s two children were home at the time and remained unhurt. The Michigan Live reported that Amanda filed for divorce within a month in Wyoming after the incident.

According to a report in the ABC-affiliated television station, WZZM13, during investigation, police came to know that Chelekis had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student at the school. The student informed police that they had a sexual relationship for more than a year. However, Chelekis’ wife had no clue about it. Chelekis was held on $1 million bond and Judge Paul Sullivan scheduled his sentencing for Jan. 23.

In another incident, a former teacher at the Coastal Christian School in Maine was arrested Dec 21 for allegedly assaulting a 14-year-old student. Nancy Leigh Ann Brann, 43, was taken into custody after she surrendered herself at a local jail informed the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff’s office told the Fox News, “There is no information the school administration had any knowledge of these alleged offenses prior to being notified by investigators.”

Brann was held on a bond of $10,000 bail. It was also reported that the bail was given on conditions that she will not have any contact with the victim or any children below 16 years of age. She would also not return to the school where she was employed.