The former teacher's laptop contained thousands of images of children being sexually assaulted, authorities said.
A former elementary school teacher in Virginia has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple counts of possessing and distributing child pornography.
David Crouse Jr., 57, was given the minimum mandatory punishment after entering a guilty plea in October.
The technology specialist and teacher at Arrowhead Elementary School in Virginia Beach was arrested on campus in December 2022. He was alone in a room with a student when he was taken into custody, police said.
Investigators found more than 10,000 images of children being sexually assaulted after inspecting Crouse's home computer, authorities said.
“He exploited thousands of children by downloading and sharing these images,” Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Andrew Rice told Circuit Court Judge Tanya Bullock Tuesday at his sentencing hearing. “It’s abhorrent. And this defendant was in our schools.”
Crouse began working for the Virginia Beach school district in 2009. He was fired after his arrest.
From October 2018 to July 2022, more than 10,000 files of child pornography were downloaded and shared from Crouse's home computer, authorities said.
Crouse’s wife and two others testified on his behalf at Tuesday's hearing. Crouse has started a Bible ministry while being incarcerated, his wife said.
Crouse apologized to the court, saying he takes responsibility for his crimes. He had never touched a child inappropriately, he said, but was addicted to porn.
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