Federal agents arrested a St. James educator Tuesday who is suspected of having sex with a teenage girl.

Thirty-eight-year-old John Monetti, a former principal of Dickenson Avenue Elementary School in East Northport, is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and other crimes. He was arrested on May 29, 2006, for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old autistic girl in a rental van outside Blair, Nebraska. State authorities then released Monetti on $2.5 million bond. Despite that release, federal authorities arrested him in connection with the same incident Tuesday.

Monetti's lawyer said he does not understand the reasoning for his client's latest arrest. "We had several court appearances in the state court," Jerry Garguilo said. "We made all of the court appearances, but the judge saw otherwise."

If convicted, Monetti could serve up to 150 years in prison.