Travis Turner missing Virginia head football coach at Union High School wanted for child sex images & solicitation of a minor as search for coach turns into manhunt.
Virginia officials on Tuesday announced that missing Union High School head football coach Travis Turner was being investigated for child p*rn and for soliciting a minor.
The revelations comes as the 46-year-old married father was reported missing as officers were en route to his residence in Appalachia, Wise County on Thursday as part of ‘early stages of an investigation.’ But before they could arrive at the family house, the coach had vanished.
Virginia state police at the time had stressed that officers were not going to arrest the football coach, only to question him about issues that were only publicly disclosed on Tuesday.
Missing persons report for Virginia school football coach turns into manhunt for child offender
Virginia State Police stated that Turner is wanted on five counts of child p**nography and another five of using a computer to solicit a minor. Ten warrants were issued for his arrest late Monday, cops said.
‘Police are actively searching for Turner,’ state police said in its Tuesday update, without elaborating on the exact nature of the allegations.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about his disappearance to contact Division 4 at 276-484-9483 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov. A Wise County Public schools spokesman said the district is aware of the charges, and without naming Turner, declined further comment.
The announcement comes an ongoing manhunt for the missing football coach who was last seen entering the woods near his home in a grey sweatshirt, grey sweatpants and glasses.
Despite widespread concern over his disappearance, Union defeated Graham, 12-0, on Saturday to advance to the the Region 2D title game scheduled for this Saturday against Ridgeview.
Warrant for football coach’s arrest follows school employee being placed on administrative leave days earlier
In a since-deleted Facebook post, his wife, Leslie, offered the following update on Saturday: ‘I just wanted to get on here for a second to clear up something, as of right now, 10:25 PM on Friday night, Travis is missing, & that’s all we know.
‘We love him & need him here with us. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love & support. It means more than you know. Just keep praying that he comes home.’
Wise County school officials which runs Union High School, announced on Friday that an unidentified employee was placed on administrative leave as part of an external investigation.
It remained unclear if the suspension of the school employee was related to the missing football coach and if so, in what capacity.
Turner’s sudden disappearance came after he led Union to an undefeated season and the team ranked among the top in the state within their division.
Union is back in action this Saturday against Ridgeview in the Region 2D title game. The Bears previously beat the Wolfpack, 42-21, back on October 9.
Union H.S., with nearly 660 students, is in the far southwest corner of Virginia, about 170 miles west of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and approximately 140 miles northeast of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
