Former Bremen High School assistant coach convicted of child molestation

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A former Bremen High School assistant coach has been convicted of sexually assaulting and grooming several minors, according to Haralson County District Attorney Jaeson Smith.

Geoffrey Brad Matthews was convicted of several charges, including four counts of criminal attempt to commit a felony, four counts of sexual assault by a person of trust and four counts of grooming a child for a sexual offense or trafficking for sexual servitude.

Nine of Matthews’ victims were among the 33 witnesses called at the trial, according to the district attorney.

Carroll County deputies said they received a referral from the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) the same day Matthews was arrested regarding allegations of inappropriate contact with another juvenile.

The sheriff’s office said investigators determined Matthews “engaged in inappropriate relations with a juvenile beginning approximately five years ago,” when the victim was 12 years old.

Deputies said that in mid-March, the juvenile disclosed the abuse to a trusted adult after enduring it for several years.

They said the victim reported the allegations before Bremen police publicly released information about their own investigation of Matthews. The victim does not attend Bremen City Schools and has no connection to the victims involved in the Bremen investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

Matthews will be sentenced Oct. 6.