Former Bremen High School coach indicted on sex crime charges

West Georgia baseball coach accused of child sex crimes

A former assistant baseball coach and bus driver in west Georgia is behind bars after a grand jury indicted him on dozens of sex crime charges involving several teenagers.

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - A former Bremen High School assistant baseball coach is behind bars after a Haralson County grand jury indicted him on dozens of sex crime charges involving multiple children.

What we know:

Geoffrey Brad Matthews faces 39 counts in Carroll County, including 28 counts of child molestation. 

According to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, one victim came forward and disclosed that the abuse had been happening since they were 12 years old. That victim is now 17. Investigators say Matthews was a trusted friend of the family and no one suspected the abuse was occurring.

Matthews is currently being held in the Haralson County Jail. In that county, he is charged with two counts of grooming a child and four counts of sexual assault by a teacher or administrator. 

Police say Matthews was a shuttle bus driver and an assistant baseball coach at Bremen High School.

The backstory:

Bremen police began looking into allegations against Matthews in early March. 

Investigators say a group of male students between the ages of 14 and 17 began chatting among themselves and realized Matthews was targeting many of them. 

Sgt. Dalton McKenzie with the Bremen Police Department said Matthews allegedly asked students to perform certain acts or take payments to do them. 

Police say at least one victim was taken to an area of the school without cameras and was sexually victimized.

What we don't know:

While several victims have already come forward, investigators have not yet confirmed how many other students or children may have been targeted during Matthews' time with the school system or as a family friend.

What's next:

This week a Haralson County grand jury recently indicted Matthews on the charges in that jurisdiction. Local law enforcement says other agencies are now looking into the man's past to see if there are more victims. "There is potential for more," McKenzie said.

What you can do:

Law enforcement agencies in west Georgia want anyone who has information about Matthews or believes they may have been a victim to contact their local police department or the Carroll County Sheriff's Office.