(CNN) — A Virginia high school football coach who has been missing since last week is wanted on child pornography possession and other charges related to soliciting a minor, Virginia State Police announced Tuesday.
State police had said they’d learned Thursday that Travis Turner, 46, was missing while they were headed to his home in Appalachia, a town of fewer than 2,000 people, as part of an investigation they’d previously not released many details about.
After a dayslong search, state police announced Tuesday the Union High School head football coach is wanted on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor. State police obtained 10 warrants for him on Monday, they said.
Turner, also listed as a physical education teacher at the high school, was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt, sweatpants and glasses, VSP said previously without sharing details about when or where he was last seen.
“Wise County Public Schools is aware that law enforcement has filed charges against a staff member who has been on administrative leave,” Mike Goforth, division superintendent for the school district, told CNN in a email Tuesday. “The individual remains on leave and is not permitted on school property or to have contact with students.”
The school district plans on cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues, Goforth said.
Authorities are searching for Turner, who is now considered a fugitive, state police said Tuesday.
CNN has reached out to Turner’s wife and Union High School’s assistant football coach.
Since his disappearance, authorities have used search and rescue teams, drones and police dogs to help locate him, state police said.
Before Turner’s disappearance, the high school team he coached was undefeated and preparing for a playoff game. The team won without him on Saturday, advancing to the regional finals, two games away from a potential state championship.
Before Saturday’s game, a pastor led a community prayer. Pastor Bryan Gunter said, “We can count on our community to be bigger than the situation we’re facing,” in an interview with CNN affiliate WCYB.
One student athlete said he had encouraged his teammates to persevere past the week’s challenges.
“We talked in the huddle and we said, listen boys, we’re going to have to handle adversity here,” senior running back Keith Chandler said after the game, according to WCYB. “We stick together as brothers here and we should come out with the victory.”
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