VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach police officers arrested an employee from Arrowhead Elementary School on child pornography charges Wednesday, according to the school division.
The Virginia Beach Police Department arrested David Crouse Jr., 56, on the 5500 block of Susquehanna Drive.
He's been charged with five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of distribution of child pornography.
A Virginia Beach judge arraigned Crouse Thursday morning.
Meghan Sawyer’s daughter goes to Arrowhead Elementary, and she’s concerned about the news coming out of the school.
"It was a big shock," said Sawyer, who also attended Arrowhead Elementary. "These are adults who are supposed to looking out and taking care of our kids, not even for us to question as parents as to why we should send them to school or not."
It's unclear what led police to Crouse, but court documents reveal the alleged crimes happened in June 2019.
A spokesperson with Virginia Beach City Public Schools confirmed that Crouse has been employed with the system since 2009, and that his current role is Instructional Technology Specialist at Arrowhead Elementary School.
Diane Toscano, Crouse's attorney, called the charges "mere allegations."
"Mr. Crouse is a devoted husband and father and a good employee. He's a solid member of the community whose never been in trouble before," said Toscano. "We'll be ready for our day in court."
Crouse is scheduled for a bond hearing Friday morning.
A letter from Principal Lisa Riley to parents said that Crouse was on administrative leave without pay.
"Please be assured that we are committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for our students," Riley wrote. "All staff are expected to adhere to the highest ethical practices and conduct aligned with our core values and we condemn and will not tolerate behaviors that compromise the safety of our children."
This is an ongoing investigation. If you have any information, call the VBPD detective bureau at 757-385-4101 or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.