BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor High School math teacher charged in October with unlawful sexual contact entered a not guilty plea to the charge through his attorney in court Wednesday.
James McHenry, 48, is accused of touching the genitals of an underaged person at an off-school location, according to Penobscot County Deputy District Attorney Michael Roberts.
“He’s charged with a misdemeanor,” the prosecutor said. “His attorney entered an appearance for him.”
Bangor attorney Jeffrey Silverstein, who is representing McHenry, made the appearance on behalf of his client in court Wednesday morning, which resulted in a not guilty plea, he and Roberts said.
“My client denies any sexual component of this,” Silverstein said later.
Roberts declined to say if the underaged person was a student or provide any other details about the relationship out of concern that the alleged victim might be identified.
Silverstein said the person who reported the crime was a student at Bangor High School but no longer attends the school. He declined to comment further on the case.
“The dispositional conference is in January and potentially — and I stress potentially — it could be scheduled for trial in February,” Roberts said.
McHenry has no criminal history in Maine, Roberts said. If convicted of the charge, he could get as much as a year in jail, the prosecutor said.
The Bangor School Committee held a special meeting Tuesday night to address the situation in executive session and Silverstein was in attendance, as were others who spoke to the board behind closed doors.
“It was long,” Silverstein said of the meeting, declining to provide details of the session.
The employment status of McHenry is still pending, Silverstein said.
McHenry is not teaching at the high school, Superintendent Betsy Webb stated last month.
A message left for Webb Wednesday morning seeking an update on McHenry’s employment status and when the board would again discuss the issue was not immediately returned.
“We are responding by following policies and necessary procedural protocols, including confidentiality of personnel matters, with regards to this situation,” Webb wrote in an email to the media on Nov. 26. “Therefore, there is limited information that I may share at this point.
“I can confirm that the employee you have inquired about is not currently at Bangor High School. The School Department’s response is guided by our commitment to the safety and well-being of students and the school community, and the need to be fair and respectful to all involved parties,” she stated.