A local elementary school teacher is facing criminal charges for allegedly sexually assaulting two students.
Fairfax County’s Child Protective Services received a tip on Jan. 17 reporting that a student at Fairview Elementary School (5815 Ox Road) in Fairfax Station had been sexually assaulted by a teacher, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
“The student was not injured. Detectives were notified and assumed the investigation,” the FCPD said in a press release today (Friday).
The investigation found that the teacher, John Barger, a 47-year-old resident of Springfield, had sexually assaulted two students on different occasions, police say.
The department is “unable” to comment on the dates when the alleged assaults occurred, a spokesperson told FFXnow.
Barger was arrested yesterday (Thursday) and has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery, which applies in cases where the victim is under 13 years old. Under Virginia law, potential punishments could include one to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
According to the FCPD, Barger has been suspended on administrative leave since Fairfax County Public Schools became aware of the allegations against him. He’s no longer listed in Fairview’s staff directory, but police say he has been employed by FCPS since 2017.
An FCPS spokesperson confirmed that school leaders removed Barger as soon as they became aware of the allegations, and he hasn’t returned since then.
“We expect that anyone who works with children is focused on their safety and wellbeing. When that trust is broken, it deeply affects us all,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “… We continue to cooperate fully with the investigation as well. Right now, we are focusing on supporting students and families in any ways that they need.”
Barger is the second FCPS teacher to be charged with assaulting a student this February. Last weekend, the FCPD announced that a substitute teacher at Dogwood Elementary School in Reston was charged with allegedly assaulting a student “during school hours.”
