Virginia teen was wearing ankle monitor for prior sexual assault when he groped girl: prosecutors

ASHBURN, Va. - A Virginia teen was wearing an ankle monitor for a prior sexual assault at his previous high school in Ashburn when he allegedly forced a girl into an empty classroom and groped her at a new school, according to prosecutors.

READ MORE: Ashburn teen forced girl into empty school classroom, inappropriately touched her, investigators say

According to the Loudoun County sheriff’s office, the boy was 14 when he sexually assaulted a girl at Stone Bridge High School on May 28.

On July 8, they charged the teen with two counts of forcible sodomy.

The Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office says the case was pushed back after DNA evidence didn’t arrive in time.

READ MORE: More than 100 gather at Loudoun County school board meeting to protest transgender policy

At that point, they discussed the matter with the victim’s family and recommended that the suspect wear and ankle monitor, and return to the classroom at a different school.

Then, on Oct. 6 at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, the same boy, now 15, allegedly forced a victim into an empty classroom, where he touched her inappropriately.

The sheriff’s office said it was able to resolve the investigation at Broad Run High School more quickly because the circumstances were much simpler than those at Stone Bridge High School.

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"The October 6, 2021 incident at Broad Run High School did not involve complex circumstances, the arrest was immediate, and the arrest was reported to the community as information released was unlikely to disclose the identity of the victim. However, the May 28, 2021 investigation was different in that the suspect and victim were familiar with each other, the investigation was complex, and a public announcement had the potential to identify a juvenile victim," the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Scott Smith – who appeared in a widely circulated video in an altercation with police at a Loudoun County School Board meeting – told Fox News his family was under the impression that the suspect would be detained at his home with ankle monitor, and that he would not return to school until the court process was complete.

Smith has been found guilty of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for the incident at the board of education meeting.

According to Smith, the incident erupted after his daughter’s sexual assault.

Smith also told Fox News that the suspect was wearing a skirt when he sexually assaulted his child in a bathroom.

The sheriff’s office has not addressed such claims.

Loudoun County Public Schools released this statement to FOX 5:

"Loudoun County Public Schools is aware of the media and social media reports concerning alleged sexual assaults at two of our high school campuses.  While LCPS takes student privacy seriously and cannot reveal details concerning the actions of any specific student, we do want to clarify our investigative process. Principals are legally required to report to the local law enforcement agency any act, including sexual assault, that may constitute a felony offense under Va. Code § 22.1-279.3:1. That process was followed with respect to these allegations. Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office was contacted within minutes of receiving the initial report on May 28. Once a matter has been reported to law enforcement, LCPS does not begin its investigation until law enforcement advises LCPS that it has completed the criminal investigation. To maintain the integrity of the criminal investigation, law enforcement requested that LCPS  not interview students until their investigation is concluded. LCPS has cooperated and continues to cooperate with law enforcement.

Furthermore, LCPS is prohibited from disciplining any student without following the Title IX grievance process, which includes investigating complaints of sexual harassment and sexual assault.  LCPS does impose interim measures to protect the safety of students involved in the original incident, deter retaliation, and preserve the integrity of the investigation and resolution process.  LCPS has complied and continues to comply with its obligations under Title IX.

School Board members are typically not given details of disciplinary matters. The board may be obligated to consider long-term suspensions or expulsions and must ensure that students have not been deprived of due process. Consequently, members of the Loudoun County School Board were not aware of the specific details of this incident until it was reported in media outlets earlier this week. We are unable to locate any records that indicate that Scott  Smith had registered in advance to speak at the June 22, 2021 board meeting."