ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - [UPDATE: Dec. 22, 3:15 p.m.:] The state of Georgia has dismissed two charges against a former Dougherty County School System administrator currently behind bars.

Horace Bentley, a former Monroe Comprehensive High School assistant principal, faced charges of sexual battery and reckless conduct in connection to a 2022 incident, that allegedly happened in Upson County.

The state filed a motion to “Nolle Prosequi,” which is a formal declaration by a prosecutor or plaintiff to drop criminal charges. The state said the decision was made due to the defendant already serving a sentence of 15 years serve five out of Dougherty County.

Records show Bentley was arrested less than three weeks after the alleged incident.

[ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Nov. 20, 2024, 6:20 PM:] Following the verdict of a former Monroe Comprehensive High School assistant principal in late Oct., he has now been sentenced in the case.

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Horace Bentley was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary and 15 years on probation, according to Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards. This comes following him being found guilty of sexual assault on a student on Oct. 24.

He was found not guilty of child molestation in the same trial.

He was originally arrested in 2017 after a cell phone video and an allegation surfaced of Bentley inappropriately touching a male student under 16 years old. WALB previously reported that other allegations were made by students as far back as 2014.

Previous Coverage: Verdict released in sexual misconduct case against former Monroe Comp. High School assistant principal

He also has a pending trial in Upson County.

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