The band director at Chestatee High School in Hall County faces charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student.
Hall County Sherriff’s deputies arrested Daniel Merck Thursday afternoon (Oct. 3). According to the preliminary investigation, Merck engaged in a sexual relationship with a female 16-year-old student in 2016.
“Investigators determined that there were several instances of sexual contact between Merck and the student over a period of several months,” says Hall County Sheriff’s spokesperson Derreck Booth. “They also ascertained that Merck was in possession of a sexually-explicit digital photograph of the student.”
A statement from Hall County School District says they became aware of the allegations late Tuesday afternoon. Merck was suspended Tuesday evening and law enforcement was contacted.
“We are stunned by the revelations described in the charges against Mr. Merck,” says district superintendent Will Schofield. “Our immediate focus will be to care for the current and former students of Chestatee High School.”
The 50-year-old Merck has been with the Hall County School District since 1999 and is a music teacher and band director. He was taken into custody without incident at the Hall County Sheriff’s Office headquarters.
Merck is charged with sexual exploitation of children and sexual assault by a person of supervisory authority. He was booked into the Hall County Jail on Thursday evening.
The case remains under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
