AIKEN, S.C. – A South Carolina middle school teacher is facing serious criminal charges after authorities found explicit content involving minors on his personal device.
Michael Poda, 34, a band teacher at Schofield Middle School for the past two years, was arrested and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to officials.
The investigation began after the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office alerted law enforcement to possible illegal activity. Authorities obtained a warrant and discovered multiple explicit images of girls between the ages of 10 and 12, as well as a video featuring a 12 to 14-year-old girl, on Poda’s phone.
The Aiken County School District confirmed it was notified of Poda’s arrest on Wednesday morning. He has since been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation’s outcome.
Poda was booked at the Aiken County Detention Center and released the following day on a $15,000 bond.
The investigation remains ongoing.
