by | Published
NEW BRAUNFELS, TX – A 78-year-old former school bus driver from New Braunfels, Michael Paul Morrish, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography > 500 Visual Depictions. The sentence was handed down on July 29, 2025, by Judge Tracie Wright-Reneau of the 207th District Court.
The investigation began on February 18, 2023, after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from Microsoft about a user uploading a file containing child sexual abuse material. The Texas Attorney General’s Office Child Exploitation Unit (TX OAG) initiated the investigation and traced the IP address to Morrish’s residence.
During surveillance, investigators identified Morrish as a bus driver for Navarro Independent School District, from which he was immediately terminated upon his arrest.
On September 26, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Morrish’s home. A forensic analysis of his devices uncovered thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse, with victims as young as infants. Morrish admitted to investigators that he had been viewing child pornography since 2005.
Assistant District Attorney Henna Le Vasseur, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the severity of the crime, stating, “These aren’t just images. These are real children that had their innocence taken away... These people need to be held accountable for their actions.” The prosecution was assisted by DA Investigators Ashley Eicher and Brian Kempler.
