VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach Public Schools employee has been arrested on charges related to child pornography.
On December 7, 2022, police made an arrest in the 5500 block of Susquehanna Drive resulting from an investigation into the possession and distribution of child pornography.
56-year-old David Crouse Jr., Virginia Beach, was arrested and charged with five (5) counts of Possession of Child Pornography and five (5) counts of Distribution of Child Pornography.
He was a staff member at Arrowhead Elementary School, according to a letter sent to school families on Wednesday from Principal Lisa Riley.
He is on administrative leave without pay, Riley said.
"At this time we are not part of the criminal proceedings and do not have any additional information that can be shared," the letter stated. "VBCPS is fully cooperating with the investigation and will continue to update you as we know more."
Court documents say the offenses are from 2019, but do not go into further detail.
Crouse's attorney, Diane Toscano, said her client would be seeking bond on Friday morning. "Mr. Crouse is a devoted husband and father and a good employee. He's a solid member of our community and has never been in trouble before. These are mere allegations and we'll be read for our day in court," Toscano said in a brief statement Thursday.
The full letter sent to families is found below:
Dear Arrowhead Elementary School families,
We want to make you aware that a staff member was arrested by the Virginia Beach Police Department today on charges related to child pornography. As a result, this staff member has been placed on administrative leave without pay. At this time we are not part of the criminal proceedings and do not have any additional information that can be shared. VBCPS is fully cooperating with the investigation and will continue to update you as we know more.
The Virginia Beach Police Department will be issuing a press release tomorrow with additional information and we will be sure to share that with you.
Please be assured that we are committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for our students. 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. We appreciate your continued support of Arrowhead Elementary.
Sincerely,
Lisa Riley
Principal of Arrowhead Elementary
This is an ongoing investigation that may involve other offenses. If you have any additional information regarding the arrest of Mr. Crouse, Jr., or this case, please call the VBPD Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101 or submit your information anonymously through Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887)/P3tips.com.
