April 2, 2009
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

DEPUTIES ARREST TEACHER FOR HAVING FIREARMS ON CAMPUS

Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a teacher at Pine Ridge High School in Deltona on Thursday after two hunting rifles and ammunition were found in his truck. Although the rifles were secured in a locked tool box, Florida law prohibits the possession of firearms on school property.

Sheriff’s deputies were initially dispatched to the school Thursday afternoon, after school had let out for the day, to check on the wellbeing of 48-year-old Stephen Michael Belcher following a report that he might have a gun on him. Belcher was escorted out of the auditorium during a faculty meeting, and a Sheriff’s deputy assigned to Pine Ridge along with a school administrator proceeded to search Belcher’s truck. The search turned up ammunition, magazines and a rifle grip inside the truck and the two rifles, which were unloaded and locked in a tool box.

Belcher, who pled no contest to aggravated assault in January 2008 and was sentenced to two years of probation, was additionally charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and a probation violation. Belcher was cooperative during the investigation and voluntarily turned over his keys so his truck could be searched. While Belcher gave no explanation for why he had the weapons, he acknowledged knowing that he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a condition of his probation. Belcher -- who resides in Port Orange -- was being transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach Thursday evening, where he will be booked on $12,500 bond.

Updated: 04/03/09

Sheriff’s Office Seeks Dismissal of 3 of the Charges: 

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking dismissal of three of the criminal charges against Pine Ridge High School teacher Stephen Michael Belcher. Belcher was arrested Thursday after deputies found two rifles and ammunition in his truck in the school parking lot. The arrest was made after school had let out for the day. Belcher, who resides in Port Orange, pled no contest to aggravated assault in January 2008 and was placed on probation for two years, during which time he’s prohibited from possessing firearms. 

Deputies went to the school on Thursday to check on Belcher’s well-being after receiving a report that he might have a gun on him. After discovering the weapons and ammunition in his truck, deputies arrested Belcher for a probation violation, one count of possession of a firearm on school property, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. 

Following Belcher’s no contest plea in 2008, the judge withheld adjudication on the charge. After reviewing the case on Friday, the Sheriff’s Office concluded that because adjudication was withheld, Belcher is not considered a convicted felon and therefore the charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon weren’t legally valid. Accordingly, the Sheriff’s Office has contacted the State Attorney’s Office and requested that those charges be dropped. The decision doesn’t affect the two remaining criminal charges against Belcher -- possession of a firearm on school property and violation of probation.