A former Bremen City Schools employee, Geoffrey Brad Matthews, is now facing a legal mountain in west Georgia, with 39 new counts filed in Carroll County after a juvenile reported alleged sexual abuse that authorities say began when the child was 12. The Carroll County case stacks on top of a separate Haralson County investigation that had already accused Matthews of grooming and sexual assault involving students. He remains behind bars in Haralson County while detectives in both counties keep digging.
New Carroll County charges
Carroll County investigators say Matthews is charged with 28 counts of child molestation, two counts of aggravated child molestation, eight counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes and one count of first-degree cruelty to children. According to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation opened on March 31 after the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services flagged allegations of inappropriate contact, as reported by The Georgia Sun.
Separate Bremen probe
The Carroll County case comes on the heels of a separate investigation across the county line. Earlier this month, Matthews turned himself in on roughly a dozen Haralson County charges that local records show included criminal attempt counts, sexual assault by a person of trust and grooming for a sexual offense. Bremen police say they have identified at least four boys, approximately 14 to 17 years old, as victims, and that two more came forward after Matthews was arrested. Investigators say the Bremen probe started after students compared experiences at a lunch table and realized their stories lined up, according to Atlanta News First.
What investigators say
Carroll County detectives say the juvenile who triggered their case reported that the alleged relationship with Matthews began about five years ago, when the child was 12, and that the victim disclosed the abuse to a trusted adult in mid-March. Investigators also say the Carroll County victim has no connection to the students identified in the Bremen investigation. Matthews is being held in the Haralson County Jail without bond, according to WSB-TV.
Where he is now and how to help
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has placed a hold on Matthews, which prevents any release from custody without Carroll County involvement. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the Carroll County case to contact Investigator Kirstie Finley at (770) 830-5916 ext. 2248 or [email protected], according to The Georgia Sun. Prosecutors in both Carroll and Haralson counties may pursue separate charges as they review evidence and coordinate across the two jurisdictions.
Why this matters
Bremen City Schools has said student safety is its top priority and that it acts quickly when concerns are raised, adding that Matthews is no longer employed with the district. Local officials and investigators say the case highlights how adults in supervisory school roles can gain repeated access to children and why early reporting is critical. They continue to urge anyone with information or concerns to come forward, according to Atlanta News First. As both investigations move ahead, prosecutors will weigh the evidence and pursue charges where they believe they can secure convictions.
