Floyd County law enforcement arrested a Summerville man who is a second-grade teacher at Lyerly Elementary School on child sex charges.  The charges stemmed from a sex sting dubbed Operation Safe Christmas and included men who were from as far away as Conyers, Georgia.

Law enforcement officers posed as underage children and engaged in online communication with the men who then agreed to travel to Floyd County, believing they were meeting up for sex with children.

Among those arrested was forty-four-year-old Jeremy Alan Bowman of Summerville.  Chattooga County School Supt. Jared Hosmer confirmed to WZQZ News on Saturday that Bowman was a teacher at Lyerly Elementary School.   The school system was not aware of the charges against Bowman until they were released to the public in a press release on Saturday.

However, WZQZ News has learned that Bowman has been the subject of complaints by parents and students at Lyerly Elementary School.  While none of the complaints were of a sexual nature, WZQZ News was told by sources that wished to remain anonymous that Bowman had been allegedly “rough” with students both verbally and physically in the past.  Several parents took to social media on Saturday to say that they have complained about Bowman in the past.

Chattooga County School Supt. Jared Hosmer said on Saturday, ”

I have been made aware of a situation concerning the arrest of a teacher from Lyerly Elementary School. We are cooperating and providing assistance as requested from law enforcement. As this is an ongoing law enforcement matter, I am unable to discuss it any further.”

Bowman was being held in the Floyd County Jail on charges of sexual exploitation of children, obscene internet contact with a child, criminal attempt to commit aggravated child molestation.