Former Alabama middle school custodian arrested for distributing obscene material to children

OPELIKA, Ala. ( WRBL ) — The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a former Sanford Middle School custodian on charges of distributing obscene materials to students, Friday afternoon.

Joseph L. Walker Jr., 32, was arrested at his home in the 7000 block of Hurst Street in Opelika. Walker was taken to the Lee County Jail, but has since made bond and is awaiting court.

Authorities say, the arrest stems back to November of 2023, when Lee County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers received two reports involving a custodian at Sanford Middle School making sexual comments and showing inappropriate sexual photos to students.

Investigators were able to identify Walker as a suspect and confirm the allegations. School officials immediately placed Walker on administrative leave and he resigned a short time later before the school board could meet to discuss the allegations further.

The case was presented to a Lee County Grand Jury in July. The Jury indicted Walker on two counts of School Employee Distributing Obscene Material to a Student, which is a Class A misdemeanor.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651.

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