MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a county schools employee on charges of Official Misconduct, Extortion, and Assault in a case that involves a student.
In a joint press statement released yesterday by the Sheriff’s Office and Rutherford County Schools, official say they’ve charged 27 year-old Maurice C. O’Neal of Christiana in connection with the case.
O’Neal is an educational assistant at Riverdale High in Murfreesboro. The school system says he has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
The incident reportedly began when a student took allegations against O’Neal to the school’s resource officer. Police say they then executed a search warrant that corroborated the student’s claims.
The school system says O’Neal has worked at the school for 18 months and passed background checks.
O’Neal is being held on $35,000 bond. His first court appearance will take place May 29.