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Former Bremen High School coach found guilty in child sex crimes trial

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
FOX 5 Atlanta
Haralson County
Published September 8, 2026 5:10 PM EDT
Published September 8, 2026 5:10 PM EDT
article

Former Bremen High School coach Geoffrey Matthews was found guilty on all 13 counts of child molestation and grooming-related offenses following an 11-day criminal trial in Haralson County. (Credit: Haralson County Sheriff's Office)

The Brief

    • Former Bremen High School coach Geoffrey Matthews was found guilty on all 13 counts of child molestation and grooming-related offenses following an 11-day criminal trial, according to the district attorney's office.
    • The trial was one of the longest criminal prosecutions in Haralson County history, featuring testimony from 33 state witnesses, including seven victims from Bremen High School, prosecutors said.
    • Matthews is scheduled to be sentenced in Haralson County on Oct. 6 at 9:00 a.m.

HARLALSON COUNTY, Ga. - A former Bremen High School assistant baseball coach was found guilty of sex crime charges involving multiple children on Tuesday afternoon, according to the district attorney's office. 

What we know:

Geoffrey Brad Matthews was found guilty on all 13 counts, including child molestation and grooming-related charges, following an 11-day criminal trial. 

The Tallapoosa Circuit District Attorney's Office stated that during the trial, prosecutors called 33 witnesses, including seven victims from the high school and two similar transaction victims.

RELATED STORY: Former Bremen High School coach indicted on sex crime charges

The backstory:

Bremen police launched an investigation into Matthews in early March after a group of male students, ages 14 to 17, compared notes and realized he was allegedly targeting multiple teens. 

Sgt. Dalton McKenzie said Matthews allegedly asked students to perform sexual acts or offered them money to do so, with investigators noting at least one victim was taken to a camera-free area of the school and sexually assaulted.

In a separate investigation, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 17-year-old victim came forward, disclosing that Matthews, a trusted family friend, had been abusing them since they were 12 years old.

What they're saying:

Following the conviction, Tallapoosa Circuit District Attorney Jaeson Smith praised the courage of the young victims whose testimony proved crucial to the prosecution's case.

"I want to thank these brave young men for coming forward," Smith said. "The level of courage it took for them to come forward and help bring this predator to justice is unbelievable. Their willingness to speak up not only made this prosecution possible, but demonstrated tremendous strength in the face of extraordinarily difficult circumstances."

What's next:

The Tallapoosa Circuit District Attorney's Office stated Matthews will be sentenced on Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. 

The Source: The information in this story came from the Tallapoosa Circuit District Attorney's Office and previous FOX 5 reports. 

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