Perjury Trial Begins For Loudoun Schools Spokesperson: Report

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — The perjury trial for Loudoun County Public Schools spokesman Wayde Byard began on Tuesday. He faces one count of felony perjury after authorities said he lied to a grand jury as it investigated the school system's handling of two high-profile sexual assaults by a student in 2021.

His trial is scheduled to resume on Wednesday.

According to WTOP, prosecutors claimed Byard lied about the first major sexual assault incident, which occurred at Stone Bridge High School in May 2021. They noted that Tim Flynn, the principal of Stone Bridge High School, wrote a detailed letter to school district officials after the assault.

In May 2021, a student sexually assaulted a girl in a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School. He was transferred to Broad Run High School, where he sexually assaulted another girl in a classroom in October 2021.

The boy was eventually convicted in connection with both assaults.

Byard's defense claimed that he did not intentionally cover up anything, but he was left out of the loop, WTOP reported. Byard's attorney noted that while Flynn emailed school officials, none of the emails were sent to Byard.

If Byard is convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.

The grand jury determined that former Loudoun superintendent Scott Ziegler and other school administrators acted in their own self-interest as they responded to the assaults.

"There were several decision points for LCPS administrators, up to and including the superintendent, to be transparent and to step in and alter the sequence of events," the report says.

The grand jury also believed that Ziegler lied to the public in the aftermath of the first assault.

"At the June 22, 2021, LCSB meeting, the superintendent, in response to a question, said 'to my knowledge, we don't have any records of assaults occurring in our restrooms.' We believe this statement is a lie," the grand jury report said.

A Loudoun County judge unsealed the indictments in December, making them publicly available for the first time.

After Byard was charged, the school system placed him on leave. Byard has pleaded not guilty.

The grand jury's full report is available online.

Related:

• Loudoun Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler Fired On Tuesday
• Loudoun School Sexual Assaults: Grand Jury Releases Report
• Teen Sentenced For 2 Sexual Assaults At Loudoun County High Schools: Report
• Loudoun Teen Pleads No Contest To 2nd Sexual Assault
• Loudoun Teen Found Guilty Of Assaulting Girl In Bathroom
• Sentence Changed For Teen Convicted In Loudoun Sexual Assaults
• LCPS Employees Indicted By Grand Jury

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center can provide information about reporting and coping with sexual abuse. Their website also features training materials and tips to prevent sexual abuse. The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network operates a 24/7 hotline for victims of sexual assault. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-656-4673.