PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. — A former Prince George County school administrator made his first court appearance Thursday, 48 hours after being arrested on felony child sex crime charges.
William Barnes Jr. appeared before a Prince George County Circuit Court Judge via video from Riverside Regional Jail where he is being held without bond.
The 78-year-old retired assistant superintendent was charged with nine felony counts including aggravated sexual battery, indecent liberties with a minor, and sexual assault by force or threat.
He informed the judge that he spoke with an attorney and that the attorney would “let him know for sure” whether he would take his case. As of Thursday morning, Barnes did not have representation.
Barnes was indicted by a grand jury on July 15.
His accuser is his adopted son, Donald Newbold who says the alleged abuse began when he was 14 years old.
“I’d go to my room, and he was not even five minutes behind me. He was in there holding me down on the bed with his hands on my shoulders,” Newbold tearfully explained. “It was almost expected out of me,” he added.
Multiple men are accusing Barnes of abusing them as young men dating back 50 years according to affidavits now in the custody of the Virginia State Police.
“Someone crawled up in the sleeping bag… and was kind of spooning me from behind,” said alleged victim Brian Carr. “I could feel his whiskers on my shoulders and neck. And he started fondling me, but I won’t have no parts of that.”
Barnes, is scheduled for a status hearing on Aug. 22. There was no discussion of a bond hearing on Thursday.
Powhatan Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Timothy Dustan is the special prosecutor on the case.
The Virginia State Police said the educator of more than 50 years has been under investigation since August 2023. CBS 6 investigative reporter Laura French has been investigating this case for the last nine months.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
