ATLANTA (AP) — A former Georgia middle school teacher will remain in jail as he awaits trial on charges of having sex with a student.

DeKalb County Superior County Judge Gail Flake refused bond Monday for 42-year-old Almarcus Dewayne Thomas. The AJC reports that the judge cited concerns the man might try to intimidate a witness.

Thomas was arrested in March after allegations that he had a seven-month sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student at Tucker Middle School.

The former seventh-grade teacher is charged with 22 counts of child molestation, statutory rape and invasion of privacy. He remains jailed in DeKalb County.