THOMASVILLE — A former Thomas County Middle School teacher is charged with sending inappropriate messages via social media to a Thomas County girl.

The child, under age 16, reported the messages to a guidance counselor in the Thomas County School System, and the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office was notified.

The former teacher, Grady Jewell Jr., 40, was charged Tuesday with one count of obscene Internet contact with the child.

“He taught in our school system and left at the end of the year and went to Berrien County,” said Dr. Dusty Kornegay, Thomas County School System superintendent.

Jewell taught eighth grade social studies at TCMS during the 2014-15 school year. As soon as the social media messages were reported to the guidance counselor, Kornegay called the Berrien County School System superintendent “and told him what we knew.”

Jewell was questioned by sheriff’s office investigators Tuesday morning, charged and booked into the Thomas County Jail.

Lt. Tim Watkins, sheriff’s office chief investigator, said social media messages from Jewell to the girl described “what he wanted to do to her. They had sexual content.”

Jewell, a Nashville resident, taught in the Berrien system until last week.

“He was allowed to resign last week,” Watkins said, adding that the Berrien board of education was made aware of the situation.

A Facebook page for Jewell shows he attended Brewton-Parker College. This was his first year teaching at Berrien County Middle School, said Danny Hayes, Berrien County school superintendent. “We’d had no complaints from anyone about Jewell,” he said.

Jewell, said Watkins, admitted to sending the girl inappropriate messages.

Jewell was released from jail on a $1,600 bond Tuesday afternoon.