Shelby County Catholic school teacher arrested on more than a dozen counts of child pornography

By Lynne Keenum

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    COLUMBIANA, Ala. (WVTM) — A teacher at a private Catholic school has been fired after being jailed on child pornography charges.

Michael Roy Bridges, 68, a teacher at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, is charged with 13 counts of possession of child pornography, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

Court records say he had images of children under the age of 17 being sexually abused.

Someone at the school discovered the inappropriate images on Bridges’ school-issued laptop earlier this month and notified the sheriff’s office, according to a school spokesperson.

The sheriff’s office began an investigation and arrested him Thursday. Bridges’ employment was terminated the same day.

He was employed part-time at the school as a drama and theater teacher, and had been there for a number of years as a classroom teacher, and had been an assistant principal at one time.

The school official said they were shocked that something like this could happen and that the principal had been open with parents, communicating with them about the situation for the past few weeks.

Investigators said they do not believe the images were produced in or near Shelby County.

Bridges is in the Shelby County Jail on a $195,000 bond. More charges may follow, according to the sheriff’s office.

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