A former teacher has been charged with a sexual assault that happened 17-1/2 years ago.

Richard Pate of Goldsboro was arrested Monday by Goldsboro police on charges of statutory sexual offense and taking indecent liberties with a minor.

Police say at the time Pate was a teacher at Eastern Wayne Middle School. They say in August of 1992 Pate sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy at his home. The victim was not a student at the middle school.

Wayne County Schools say Pate was hired in 1969 as a teacher and resigned a month after the alleged assault happened. The State Department of Public Instruction says Pate's teaching license was revoked in May 1993 for having sexual conduct with a student. But the school system says there's nothing in Pate's personnel file to indicate he was under investigation for any sexual misconduct.

The 62-year-old Pate is in jail on a $500,000 secured bond. Police say the victim remembered the attack last month and decided to come forward.