NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans high school choir teacher was arrested earlier this week on rape, child sex trafficking and sexual battery charges, WWL reports.

New Orleans Police arrested Joshua "Josh" Kagler, 38, on Tuesday morning and booked him into the Orleans Justice Center on five counts of trafficking of children for sexual purposes, five counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, one count of third-degree rape and one count of sexual battery.

WWL reports that the charges stem from a complaint by the mother of a 16-year-old boy about concerning text messages on her son's cellphone that she said were from an adult man and were sexual in nature. 

The boy told investigators he had been approached by a teacher from Warren Easton Charter High School, who was later identified as Kagler. The boy added that Kagler invited him to his home to smoke marijuana.

According to the affidavit, Kagler began paying the boy for sexual activities. WWL reports that the teen objected when things escalated from Kagler watching him to Kagler physically touching him. All of these incidents happened at Kagler's home, WWL's reporting continued. 

"Kagler groomed the boy to perform sexual acts and used money as bait," police said.

Kagler was still listed on the Warren Easton website as a choir instructor. In a statement, the school confirmed Kagler was previously employed at Warren Easton during the 2024–2025 school year.

“This individual is no longer employed at the school. While we are unable to share specific details due to privacy laws and the active nature of the investigation, we can confirm that we are fully cooperating with the New Orleans Police Department. The safety and well-being of our students is—and always will be—our top priority," the school said.

WWL reports that Kagler is a well-known performer at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with his Harmonistic Praise Crusade and contributed to the Grammy Award-winning best roots gospel album "Church."

Kagler is being held without bond until a hearing on Monday afternoon.