GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A former Michigan teacher has been sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for slashing his wife’s throat after she discovered his affair with a middle school student, WXMI reports.
James Chelekis, 32, was sentenced on Thursday in the horrific June attack.
During the sentencing, Amanda Chelekis recalled the attack, saying her ex-husband kissed her forehead before slitting her throat.
“He came out of the closet behind me, my head was tipped back resting on the back of the chair with my eyes closed. Standing behind me, he kissed my forehead and slit my throat from one side to the other,” she said, according to WOOD.
After the attack, he read Bible verses and called the middle school student he had been sleeping with.
Amanda, who is a nurse, was able to contain the bleeding for almost an hour before her husband called for help. The 14-year-old girl is the one who convinced the 32-year-old to call police.
The student’s mother wrote in a statement that James had “brainwashed” her daughter.
“He was successful at fooling colleagues, school officials and many other adults, including my husband and me, so I’m not surprised how he was able to brainwash our impressionable and vulnerable child as well,” she wrote.
James offered a public apology before being led to prison.
“I failed… and I’m truly sorry about how I failed and hurt people I truly cared about,” he said.
