An Effingham County middle school teacher charged with child molestation was denied bond in Effingham County Superior Court on Thursday morning.

Julian Heyman of Springfield, who is the Ebenezer Middle School teacher of the year and the president of the Georgia Salzburger Society, was denied bond by Judge Robert Turner. Heyman has been jailed since Nov. 30 and has been charged with eight counts relating to sexual misconduct and child molestation.

Prosecutors also brought forth new allegations that victims and witnesses had been intimidated by the defendant. The district attorney’s office also said it is preparing to level new charges coming from interviews with as many as eight additional victims.

All of the charges go back to 1997-1998, a time before Heyman became a teacher and none of the charges are related to his teaching career. A large group of family and friends were in court to lend support and a few were called to testify to his character.

Heyman has a B.S. from Augusta State University and a Master’s degree in middle grades education from GSU. He is also a certified gifted and talented teacher. He served in the 1990’s as the director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Savannah.

The current charges come from two alleged victims and include child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, aggravated sodomy, sexual battery and two counts of electronically furnishing obscene material to a minor.