A Virginia man was indicted following a recent scare at a Pike County school.

That scare, however, may have simply been the effects of a botched drug transaction.

37-year-old Micahel Balke of Big Stone Gap Virginia was arrested outside of Shelby Valley High School at the start of the school day on March 29th. Blake was reported by some students as being a suspicious person outside the school wearing all black and carrying a backpack.

A Pike County Sheriff’s Deputy confronted Balke and allegedly found him in possession of drugs and a loaded handgun, and he was arrested at the scene.

Pike Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Bartley said that although the situation may have been frightening, it appears Balke was simply stranded in the area near the school following a botched drug transaction and that students and staff at the school were never in any danger. Balke told police he had ridden to an apartment complex near the school with other people in order to buy drugs, but was left by those with whom he rode.

Bartley said Balke was walking near the school in search of a ride back to Virginia and that he never intended to target the school with violence.

Bartley added, however, that the situation acted as a good trial run for school safety measures at Shelby Valley. He said everyone at the school acted as they should, and the situation was handled by staff members and law enforcement very well.

Balke was indicted by a Pike County Grand Jury on felony charges including first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and first-degree promoting contraband. He was also charged in the indictment with misdemeanor counts of second-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of marijuana.

The firearm charge, a class C felony, could land him in prison for up to 10 years.

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