HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A former teacher accused of biting a girl on the butt at Lake Lanier on the 4th of July pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the crime.
The Hall County District Attorney's Office said Jonathan William Herbert will have to spend 30 days in jail.
The former Gwinnett educator was arrested in July. The girl, a 14-year-old from Braselton, was with her family on Lanier Islands Parkway when Herbert allegedly swam under water and bit the girl, police said.
Witnesses told police that Herbert was intoxicated at the time. He has no known ties to the victim or her family.
Herbert was initially charged with battery, felony second-degree cruelty to a child, public drunkenness and sexual battery against a child under the age of 16.
The district attorney's office said sexual battery charge was dropped because the victim and her mother didn't want her to have to testify. He pleaded guilty to public drunkenness, battery, and bribery. The bribery charge came after the suspect allegedly tried to bribe a deputy to release him.
In addition to the month behind bars, he will be placed on a 5-year probation. Herbert will also have to certain conditions to follow upon his release, including not teaching during his probation period, according to the district attorney's office. Herbert can't contact the victim and he must also get counseling.
