VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Joseph Molineaux, the former Kempsville High School gym teacher who was convicted last fall on charges related to him trespassing on school grounds with weapons, and sending violent threats via text, was released from jail in December.
A spokesperson from the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office verified he was released from custody in December.
News 3 investigative reporter Margaret Kavanagh has been following Molineaux's case since he was arrested at Kempsville in April with weapons in his car. He had sent text messages to family members in York County stating that his dog keeps him from going to Kempsville with an AK-47 and "mowing down the administration."
This prompted a search of his home where such weapons were found and confiscated.
We covered his case extensively in the first edition of this podcast summer in 2025
Molineaux's issue with the administration at Kempsville is not directly known. Through Freedom of Information Act requests with the Virginia Department of Education, News 3 learned of his extensively documented code violations while employed at six different schools in Virginia Beach over more than two decades.
The final straw that led Molineaux to "resign in lieu of dismissal" in February 2023, according to VDOE records, was an incident where he inadvertently showed a student a picture of his genitals on his phone.
Between his convictions in York County and Virginia Beach, Molineaux was sentenced to more than 20 years; however, most of that time was suspended, leaving him with two six month sentences.
Ultimately, due to time served and the misdemeanor conviction, Molineaux was released after about eight total months in jail on good behavior.
In this follow-up episode of True Crime 757, we discuss the charges against him, his convictions, and why the sentencing was reduced.
Watch in the player above or steam on Apple/Spotify Podcasts.
True Crime 757 is sponsored by Korslund Law.
