A girls’ basketball coach at a Brookhaven private school is facing child pornography charges, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Daniel Dutton, 44, a community coach for the girls’ varsity basketball team at Marist School, was arrested March 15 on a charge of distribution of child pornography, Brookhaven police Officer Carlos Nino said.
“Brookhaven police detectives conducted a child pornography investigation which led to a search warrant at Mr. Dutton’s residence where electronic devices were found and taken as evidence,” he said.
No Marist students were involved and the school is not part of the investigation, the television station reported.
“At this point,” Nino said, “Brookhaven police detectives do not believe there was any actual physical contact with children in this case.”
Dutton was booked in the DeKalb County jail the day of his arrest, but was released on bond two days later. He is no longer coaching at Marist, according to Channel 2.
In an emailed statement, school president Father John Harhager said he was saddened to learn of Dutton’s arrest, the television station reported. The school said Dutton was never a member of the faculty, but was a part-time community assistant coach for the varsity girls’ basketball team for the past several years.
“It’s unfortunate, obviously,” resident Patrick Gresham told Channel 2. “I’m sure it’s not typical of a coach at Marist. Hopefully, he gets some help.”
Channel 2 reached out to Dutton by phone Monday night, but he said he wasn’t at liberty to comment about the allegations against him.
The investigation is ongoing, Nino said.
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