A Sequoyah School teacher is facing charges after he allegedly held an assault rifle on a group of eight children who were "ghost hunting" in a cemetery, sheriff officials said.

Stacy Farrell Swallows, 45, of 920 Shipley Cemetery Road, was charged with nine counts of aggravated assault and nine counts of false imprisonment.

He was taken to the Hamilton County Jail after the late-night incident.

Magistrate Larry Ables set his bond at $10,000 per count for a total of $180,000. He remains in jail.

Authorities said on Saturday at 10:42 p.m. sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Shipley Hollow Road at Shipley Cemetery Road in reference to a shots fired call. Authorities said the teacher had heard gunshots and that is why he left his house to go to the cemetery. No guns were found on the teens.

While en route deputies were advised that the complainant had several people held at gunpoint awaiting the arrival of responding deputies.

Upon arrival, deputies found a man, later identified as Stacy Swallows, armed with an assault rifle. He told officers where he had lated the AR-15 rifle on the ground. Deputies secured the weapon and began to investigate.

There were three vehicles blocked by the Swallows truck.

Deputies interviewed numerous teenagers (ages 16=19). All teenagers gave written statements advising that they had gone to the cemetery to follow up on a ghost story that they read about on an Internet website concerning the Shipley Cemetery.

The teenagers stated they were leaving and, as they traveled down Shipley Cemetery Road towards Shipley Hollow Road, they came in contact with Swallows, who parked his vehicle in the roadway blocking their travel.

He displayed a rifle, pointed it at them and instructed them to stay where they were until police arrived.

One said he was screaming at them.

Neighbors said teens have caused problems at the cemetery in the past and that four wheelers have caused damage to Swallows' property.

Danielle Clark of the county schools said, "Late Sunday night, we became aware that Mr. Stacy Swallows, a teacher at Sequoyah High School, had been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault in relation to an incident in a local cemetery.

"As this incident happened on a holiday weekend, we will begin investigating the situation on Tuesday morning in accordance with board policy and district procedures.

"Once the investigation is complete and results analyzed, appropriate administrative action, if necessary, will be taken. Mr. Swallows has been instructed that when he returns to work he is to report directly to central office."