Chattooga science teacher arrested on charges of attempted molestation, child porn

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A fourth-grade Chattooga County science teacher has been arrested by Trion, Ga., police on allegations of sexual misconduct involving a 15-year-old and on pornography charges, records show.

David Kenneth Daniel, 48, of Lyerly, Ga., was charged Monday night with enticing a child for indecent purposes, criminal attempt to commit child molestation, and possession of computer and electronic pornography, according to records in the Chattooga County Magistrate Court office.

Chattooga County Schools Superintendent Dwight Pullen said he was "stunned" by the arrest.

Daniel, 48, has been with the school system since August 2001. He was a fourth-grade science teacher at Leroy Massey Elementary School in Lyerly, Ga., at the time he was arrested, Pullen said. The victim is not a Chattooga County student, he said.

Daniel currently is barred from any Chattooga County school campus pending further internal investigation, Pullen said.

Chattooga County Jail officials said Daniel is free on a $75,000 property bond.

Read more in tomorrow's Times Free Press.