DECATUR, Ga. — A grand jury has indicted a former DeKalb County teacher on 22 counts in connection with the rape of a 15-year-old student and the invasion of privacy of teachers and a relative at his home.
Almarcus Thomas, who taught at Tucker Middle School, faces aggravated child molestation, statutory rape, aggravated sexual battery, invasion of privacy and scores of other charges.
"It's a sad situation," his neighbor Frank Symister told Channel 2's Tom Jones. "I've never seen that side of him where I would think that he did it."
Prosecutors said Thomas repeatedly had sexual relations with a 15-year-old student at the school.
"It's a terrible case. It's an absolutely terrible case," DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said.
James said Thomas also took pictures of the buttocks of teachers at Tucker Middle. He said he even recorded video under one teacher's dress. The D.A. said Thomas also videotaped a relative at his home.
"He set up a camera in the bathroom (in) his house and there was a family member that was bathing," James said.
Jones' said his law enforcement sources said that family member was Thomas' mother-in-law.
Frank Symister has lived next door to Thomas for five years. He said these are only allegations, but he still had a talk with his children.
"His kids would play with my kids. Naturally you speak to your kids after something like that happens," he said.
A DeKalb County Schools spokesman said Thomas resigned in lieu of termination.
Thomas remains housed at the DeKalb County Jail.
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