VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach school bus driver accused of selling tobacco products to students and possessing child pornography appeared in court through video conference on Friday.
The former bus driver, Michael Joseph Gunther II, had a court hearing Friday, as he faces five charges of possessing child pornography. Police say he was arrested Thursday for one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of purchasing tobacco for a minor.
The police investigation stems from a parent's allegations. A search warrant reveals that on Sept. 4, one week after school started, a mother found her teenage son "laying in bed unresponsive" and found "vomit all over the floor" of their bathroom and then rushed him to the emergency room.
In the search warrant, it read that the teen later told his mom that he ingested "shrooms." It's unclear if that was indeed the case and, if so, where he got them.
Police continued in the warrant that the mother was able to go through her son's phone and found a conversation with a "Mr. Mike" who had agreed to buy nicotine vapes and alcohol for him and other students. The conversation, according to the search warrant, also revealed that "Mr. Mike" was her son's school bus driver.
As part of the investigation, Virginia Beach police searched Gunther’s home, and according to court documents, police “found multiple images of young boys nude and performing various acts” on the defendant’s phone.
A search warrant shows that a warrant or process for arrest has been issued for the following: a violation of Virginia State Code: 4.1-306 Purchasing alcoholic beverages for one to whom they may not be sold, a violation of Virginia State Code: 18.2-371.2 possession of tobacco products by a person under 21, and a violation of Virginia State Code: 18.2-271 causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent.
A school employee was able to confirm to police that "Mr. Mike", whose legal name is Michael Joseph Gunther II, was a bus driver, and had been employed with Virginia Beach Public Schools since 2018.
The following message was sent to some Virginia Beach families from the school system Thursday regarding the incident:
"We want to make you aware that a bus driver was arrested today by the Virginia Beach Police Department for alleged misconduct. You may hear about this in the media, however, at this time we are not part of the criminal proceedings and as such do not have additional information. All staff are expected to adhere to the highest ethical practices and conduct aligned with our core values and we will not tolerate behaviors that compromise the safety of our children. Know that the staff member is no longer employed with VBCPS. Please be assured that we are committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for our students."
A school spokesperson said the message was sent to families of Kellam High School, Red Mill Elementary, Princess Anne Elementary, and Princess Anne Middle.
Another statement was released in the early afternoon Friday from the school system:
In follow-up to yesterday’s message about the bus driver charged with misconduct, Virginia Beach City Public Schools wants you to be aware that the suspect is facing additional charges, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department. As a reminder, the driver is no longer employed by VBCPS.
We know that this information is unsettling for you as parents/guardians, as well as for our staff, students, and the entire VBCPS community. We want to reiterate that providing a safe learning environment for our students is our number one priority. VBCPS condemns and will not tolerate any behaviors that compromise the safety and well-being of our children.
Please do not hesitate to contact the VBPD at 757-385-4101 if you have any questions or concerns. We appreciate your continued support of VBCPS.
Gunther's next court date will take place on Oct. 12, for a bond hearing.
