Jamestown ND (Valley News Live) – Court documents reveal a Jamestown elementary school teacher admitted to police he sexually abused a former student when she was a minor, acknowledging she was likely underage when the abuse began.

Michael Paul Romans, 45, is now formally charged with Corruption or Solicitation of Minors following his Dec. 29 arrest. He taught at Gussner Elementary School and volunteered as a firefighter for the City of Jamestown.

According to a probable cause statement filed in Southeast District Court, Romans told investigators during a December 29 interview that his relationship with the victim became physical when she was approximately 17 years old and still in high school. When asked if it would be shocking to learn she was underage, Romans responded “no,” according to the court document.

“He did not have any way to disprove it or to prove it,” the investigator wrote in the statement, adding that Romans acknowledged it was “highly likely” the victim was under 18 when the sexual abuse began.

Victim comes forward

The victim, now an adult, came forward to police on December 5. She told investigators Romans began abusing her when she was approximately 16 or 17 years old, around the time she received her driver’s license. The abuse occurred multiple times over a period of years while she was in high school.

When asked to estimate how many times the abuse occurred between when it started and when she turned 18, the victim told police it was a “high” number and later described it as “too many to count,” according to court documents.

The victim told investigators she first met Romans when she moved to Jamestown in fourth grade and attended Gussner Elementary. She later babysat for Romans’ family and received tutoring help from him during high school. The victim said Romans’ wife was sometimes in the home when the abuse occurred.

Police interview

During his police interview, Romans told investigators the relationship progressed from hugs to kisses on the forehead before becoming sexual.

Romans told police he “battles sex addiction” and had been in a 12-step group and counseling for several years, according to the court documents. He said he remembered not wanting to watch “Law and Order SVU” because he would say “that was going to be him, that was him,” referring to what he called the “pedophile stuff.”

Romans was booked into the Stutsman County Correctional Center on Dec. 29. He has been placed on administrative leave from both Jamestown Public Schools and the City of Jamestown.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 21, with a jury trial set for April 28 in Southeast District Court.

The case remains under investigation by the Jamestown Police Department.

Previously Reported:

Jamestown ND (Valley News Live) – The Jamestown PD has announced the arrest of a Gussner Elementary School teacher on a charge of corruption of a minor.

Michael Paul Romans, who is also a volunteer firefighter, was arrested on December 29. According to the release from Jamestown Police, the 45-year-old teacher had a sexual relationship with a Jamestown Public School Student over the course of 1-2 years. He was booked into the Stutsman County Correctional Center and awaits formal charges in Southeast District Court.

He has been placed on administrative leave from both Jamestown Public Schools and the City of Jamestown. The case remains under investigation.