Ex-teacher's aide, charged in Augusta County with sexual assault, facing more allegations
In May, Beyonce M. Mass, 23, of Staunton, was initially arrested on two charges of taking indecent liberties with a child by a custodian after being indicted by the Augusta County grand jury. In June, she picked up three identical charges, also in Augusta County.
Mass is a former teacher's aide at the Valley Academy Regional Alternative School, which is located on John Lewis Road in Fishersville.
Authorities began investigating Mass in December after Child Protective Services notified the Augusta County Sheriff's Office about the sexual assault allegations. The sheriff's office said it determined inappropriate relationships between Mass and male students at the school allegedly took place off campus.Mass is no longer employed by the school, which opened in 2019 and is jointly run by Augusta County Public Schools and Waynesboro Public Schools.
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She was initially granted a $5,000 bond following a June 2 video appearance in Augusta County Circuit Court, and was placed on home electronic monitoring. Mass was released from Middle River Regional Jail the following day.
But one day after her release, Mass was back in jail on three additional charges of taking indecent liberties with a child by a custodian.
At the first bond hearing, where Mass was granted bond, Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney William Sukovich said the investigation of the former teacher's aide started in December after a male juvenile who attended the school was caught sneaking out of his home to reportedly meet Mass. She allegedly sexually abused the boy on at least two occasions, according to the prosecutor.
Following her second arrest, Mass was again granted bond on June 6 in Augusta County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court. However, Sukovich appealed, keeping her behind bars.
Following the appeal, the bond issue went before Judge Sean Workowski in Augusta County Circuit Court, where Sukovich told the court a second Augusta County victim had come forward and alleged that Mass was a "groomer." Sukovich said the teen told authorities that he and Mass allegedly engaged in sexual relations about 15 times, once at a local truck stop in a vehicle.
Despite Workowski initially giving Mass a bond at her first hearing in circuit court, the judge upheld Sukovich's appeal and denied bond the second time around.
Last week on July 14, in Rockbridge County Circuit Court, Mass was indicted on a felony charge of taking indecent liberties with a child by a custodian. She was also indicted on a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, court records show.
Mass is now facing six felony charges and one misdemeanor.
She remains at Middle River Regional Jail.
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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Beyonce Mass facing more sexual assault allegations in Rockbridge Co.
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