FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — An elementary school teacher in Forsyth County has been arrested and faces several charges related to child pornography and sexual exploitation of children.
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said in a release early Monday morning that 38-year-old Drew Cecil was investigated following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The tip came in April 14 and Cecil was removed from the classroom during the investigation. On April 21, the sheriff's office said, he was arrested on nine warrants for possession of child pornography and one warrant for sexual exploitation of children.
The sheriff's office said there were no children from the Forsyth County School District involved in the investigation. It's not clear if any children were involved from Cecil's previous teaching employment, which according to the Poole's Mill Elementary website stretches back 14 years.
Cecil's biography, which was still live early Monday morning on the school's website, states he's been in the Forsyth County district for seven years. A school district statement said he's taught fourth grade at Poole's Mill since 2021 and before that taught and coached volleyball from 2016-21 at North Forsyth High School.
The sheriff's office said he was taken into custody at the Forsyth County Jail on Friday and was held on a roughly $55,000 bond.
The school district said in a statement that staff "staff will continue to work with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office on this ongoing investigation."
"If parents/guardians or former students have information relative to these charges, they should contact the Sheriff’s Office," the district statement said.
Full Forsyth County Schools statement:
“James Andrew “Drew” Cecil taught and coached volleyball at North Forsyth High School from 2016-21, and taught 4th grade at Poole’s Mill Elementary School since 2021. He has not been at school since April 14 when we were made aware of the allegations against him. As of April 21, he is no longer employed with Forsyth County Schools. We are legally unable to share additional personnel information. Our staff will continue to work with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office on this ongoing investigation. If parents/guardians or former students have information relative to these charges, they should contact the Sheriff’s Office.”