HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — A Henry County teacher has been arrested, accused of inappropriate contact with one of his students.

Austin Smallwood, 26, was arrested Thursday by a school resource officer and a Henry County Sheriff’s Office special investigations unit.

“The alleged incident is believed to have taken place in December of 2021 at Hampton High School,” the Henry County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

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Smallwood is charged with three counts of sexual assault and two counts of electronically furnishing obscene material to a minor.

“It is imperative that we ensure the safety and security of our students,” Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett said. “In order to maintain the integrity of this fluid investigation and to ensure the information being provided is accurate, we are limited to the number of specifics that can be released. But trust and believe we will do everything in our power to protect our students.”

Smallwood also was charged with unrelated drug charges. He was placed on administrative leave before the arrest and is currently being held in the Henry County Jail.

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