A 42-year-old school counselor from Ashburn, Virginia, has been charged with “taking indecent liberties with a child by a custodian,” and turned herself in to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.
The sheriff’s office says it first became aware of accusations against Ann Barrett in May 2021.
Barrett is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student from 2013 through 2016, while she was working at Freedom High School, in South Riding.
According to charging documents in Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court she was the student’s counselor. According to the victim — who WTOP is not identifying — the sexual relationship continued through his freshman year of college, ending in June 2016.
The charge is a Class 6 felony in Virginia, with a maximum sentence of 5 years behind bars.
Loudoun County Public School spokesman Wayde Byard said as soon as the school system was made aware of the allegations in May, Barrett was put on administrative leave, from her most recent position at Stone Hill Middle School, in Ashburn.
“She was put on administrative leave. We’re seeking termination and a revocation of license,” Byard said.
Barrett, who is married, has no prior criminal record according to charging documents. She was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a $10,000 bond, until her first appearance in court, Nov. 9
