Ex-Cobb middle school teacher, boyfriend arrested in heroin, pot trafficking bust

Angel Renee Nathan (left), Christopher Fitzgerald Dawson

Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office

Angel Renee Nathan (left), Christopher Fitzgerald Dawson

A Cobb County School District employee was fired after she was arrested on drug trafficking charges in neighboring Paulding County, authorities said.

Angel Renee Nathan, 32, was arrested Thursday after a regional drug task force allegedly found heroin and marijuana inside the home she shared with her boyfriend, 32-year-old Christopher Fitzgerald Dawson. Her boyfriend was also arrested.

A total four pounds of marijuana, two ounces of heroin, three handguns and a substantial amount of cash were seized after a traffic stop and a raid on a south Paulding County home on Oct. 21, according to authorities. 

Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office

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Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office

Dawson had been on narcotics agents’ radar for some time, Paulding County sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ashley Henson told AJC.com.

Before the couple’s home was searched, Dawson was pulled over Oct. 21 while driving a Chevrolet Corvette in Paulding County. During the traffic stop, deputies recovered some marijuana and a handgun, Henson said.

Officers with the Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force raided the Loxley Court home in south Paulding later the same day.  They found “a large amount of heroin,” more marijuana and two more handguns, Henson said.  A substantial amount of cash was also recovered.

“It must be noted that the Corvette and the home were in Nathan’s name and the narcotics were located in the master bedroom of the home where both Dawson and Nathan resided,” Henson said in a news release.

Dawson was arrested Oct. 21 and Nathan turned herself into authorities Thursday. The Cobb County School District confirmed Nathan was a former employee but would not say what her position was with the district.

According to Channel 2 Action News, she taught sixth grade English and language arts at Garrett Middle School in Austell.

“The staff member has not reported to work since and is no longer employed by Cobb Schools,” the district said in a statement.

Nathan and Dawson were both charged with trafficking heroin, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, felony marijuana possession and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, the sheriff’s office said.

They were both released from the Paulding County Jail on a $15,500 bond.

“We want to remind our citizens that they are our eyes and ears and if they suspect illegal drug activity is occurring in their neighborhood, they can call us anytime,” Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge said in a statement.

Anyone with information about this case or any other case involving narcotics is encouraged to call the Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force at 770-646-9175.

— Staff writer Chelsea Prince contributed to this article.