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(NewsDakota.com) – A three-day jury trial has been scheduled for May 9-11 in the alleged sexual assault case involving a former Jamestown teacher.

54-year-old Richard Laqua pleaded not guilty in January to charges of sexual assault and luring a minor by computer or other electronic means, both Class C felonies.

He is currently scheduled for a 12-member jury trial in May in Stutsman County District Court. Judge Thomas E. Merrick is scheduled to preside. Stutsman County chief assistant state’s attorney Troy LeFrevre is handling the case for the state. He said Wednesday that a motion deadline has been set for March 2, and a plea agreement deadline in the case has been set for April 4.

Laqua was a teacher at James Valley Career and Technology Center and a 23-year veteran of Jamestown Public Schools before the allegations of misconduct towards a juvenile girl surfaced in November. He is accused of inappropriately touching the girl and sending her sexually explicit text messages.

Laqua was suspended on Nov. 9 by the school district, and resigned from his job as construction technology teacher on Dec. 2.