HELENA — A Helena Public Schools para-educator facing multiple felony charges has been fired after the district's board of trustees voted unanimously to terminate his employment.
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Helena Public Schools voted unanimously to terminate James Michael Huber, a para-educator who was arrested in March on charges of sexually assaulting a minor.
Huber faced three felony counts of sexual intercourse without consent involving a victim 12 years or younger, one felony count of exposure, and one felony charge of sexual abuse of children. He faces a maximum of 100 years in prison for each charge.
The school district released a statement following the vote:
“At its Board meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the Board of Trustees for Helena Public Schools voted unanimously to terminate the employment of James Huber. HPS conducted a thorough investigation in accordance with the requirements of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972 and its regulations into the serious concerns that arose after Mr. Huber was arrested for sexually assaulting a minor. As a result of its Title IX investigation, a determination was made that Mr. Huber engaged in sexual harassment in violation of Title IX and Board Policy against a minor student.”
During the investigation, officers found alleged text and Snapchat conversations between Huber and a Helena Public Schools student containing sexually explicit images, inappropriate messages, and a text thread with more than 36,000 messages.
Huber was listed as a para at C.R. Anderson Middle School and Kessler Elementary School and had been placed on administrative leave leading up to the vote.
Unable to post a $200,000 bond, Huber was arraigned in Justice Court on April 14, where the court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. He has since moved to extend the original trial date to allow time for a neuropsychological evaluation as part of his defense preparation.
Huber's new trial date is set for March 29, 2027. He will remain in custody at the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center in the meantime.
