Former band director accused of sex abuse arrested on new charge - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Former band director accused of sex abuse arrested on new charge

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By Melynda Sides - email
Jeffrey Scott Atkins. Source: Shelby County She Jeffrey Scott Atkins. Source: Shelby County She

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ALABASTER, AL (WBRC) -

A former Shelby County teacher charged with several counts of sex abuse in March was arrested again today in Alabaster on a new charge.

Jeffrey Scott Atkins, 39, faces the additional charge of "school employee engaging in a sex act or deviant sexual intercourse with a student under the age of 19 years," the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

Atkins is the former Oak Mountain Middle School band director. The investigation that led to his March arrest determined that he had been communicating with a student over texts and social media. Investigators said those messages were "sexual in nature," the sheriff's office said in a release.

Atkins was arrested on March 29 and charged with three counts of first degree sexual abuse, one count of enticing a child to enter a vehicle, house, etc. for immoral purposes, one count of electronic solicitation of a child and one count of school employee having sexual contact with a student under the age of 19 years.

After being arrested in March, Atkins was released on bond and awaiting his trial. His bond for the sex abuse charges filed in March totaled $555,000.

Atkins was arrested at his Alabaster home today and is being held at the Shelby County Jail on a $200,000 bond, the sheriff's office says.

Atkins had been employed as the band director at OMMS since 1999, according to an email sent from Oak Mountain Middle School to the parents of students following Atkins' March arrest. The email states that Atkins passed a criminal background check in October 1999.

The email said that Atkins was placed on unpaid administrative leave as soon as administration learned of the allegations in March.

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