Chattooga teacher faces new charges

A former Chattooga County schoolteacher who was charged last week with attempting to meet a teenage boy for sexual activity was arrested again, accused of taking school money.

David Daniel, 48, of Lyerly, Ga., posted bond Friday night after he was charged with four counts of theft by taking.

Authorities said the case involved the theft of more than $1,500 from Leroy Massey Elementary School's field trip fund.

Daniel taught fourth grade at the school and had worked for the Chattooga school system for 10 years.

He was freed after posting an $8,000 bond, Chattooga jail officials said.

Daniel could not be reached for comment.

The school's principal, Judy England, reported the money missing on Thursday and showed police bank statements that indicated someone had withdrawn money from the account with United Community Bank four times in December, said Chattooga County Sheriff's Deputy Matt Hayes.

Daniel was one of four teachers who had access to the account, which was set up specifically for saving money for a school field trip, a police report shows.

When England confronted Daniel about the missing money, he said he knew the money had been taken and he would replace it, the report states.

England wouldn't comment Monday, referring all questions to Chattooga County Superintendent Dwight Pullen.

Pullen couldn't be reached for comment, but he said last week he was "stunned" by Daniel's first arrest.

Daniel resigned from Leroy Massey Elementary on Wednesday after he was arrested on three felony sexual misconduct charges involving an undercover officer posing online as a 15-year-old boy.

The arrest was made after the Trion Police Department began fishing for Internet predators on Craigslist, and Daniel was the first person to respond, Police Chief Chad Spraggins said.

"It was a total shock," said Spraggins, who has known Daniel for years. "We weren't even thinking we would get someone in the county," much less a teacher, he said.

Daniel was charged with enticing a child for indecent purposes, criminal attempt to commit child molestation and computer and electronic pornography, according to Chattooga County Magistrate Court records.

He was freed on a $75,000 bond.

There is a possibility that both of Daniel's cases could be tried together, said Kevin Ball, a Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit resident assistant district attorney. But it depends on whether the charges are determined to be related, he said.


Follow Joy Lukachick on Twitter by following this link.

Upcoming Events