John Daniel Hamilton, the Central Baldwin Middle School teacher arrested on eight charges involving alleged sexual misconduct with a CBMS student, was given a $225,000 bond at a hearing in Baldwin County District Court today.
Hamilton, an eighth grade history teacher at CBMS and bus driver, was arrested on two counts of second degree sodomy, two counts of second degree sexual abuse, two counts of a school employee engaging in a sex act with a student under 19 and two counts of a school employee having sexual contact with a student under 19.
At the bond hearing, Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney Matt Simpson laid out some of the case against Hamilton.
Simpson said the victim is a 12-year-old seventh grade student at CBMS and that Hamilton had at one time been her bus driver.
Simpson said the alleged sexual acts involved included oral sex and touching in private areas on both Hamilton and the girl.
Simpson said Hamilton would get the girl out of class to come to his classroom, ostensibly to talk about a “bus roster” with the child.
“He had no business having her in his classroom,” Simpson said.
The contact between Hamilton and the student was discovered in notes the victim had passed to her step-sister.
Simpson requested $225,000 bond, no contact with the victim, the victim’s family or any children under the age of 18. Simpson additionally requested house arrest and GPS ankle monitoring for Hamilton.
When given the opportunity to speak by District Judge Bill Scully, Hamilton asked for a lighter bond.
“I’m a 40 year resident of Baldwin County,” Hamilton said. “I’m not a flight risk. I’ve never had any problems with the law before.”
Scully agreed with all of Simpson’s bond requirements.
“Given the severity of the charges, I think they’re relatively reasonable bonds,” Scully said. “If proven true, the boldness with which these crimes were committed give me great concern.”
In an interview following the hearing, Simpson said the investigation was still ongoing and his office had been contacted by several others about Hamilton.
Simpson urged people to contact the Robertsdale Police Department or the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office if they had additional information on this incident or any others involving Hamilton.
