MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A now former custodian with Berkeley County Schools faces more than two dozen charges following an incident that occurred Thursday night during a girls’ basketball game at Martinsburg High School.
Berkeley County Schools report the custodian, who has been identified as William Howard Shoup, 25, “will not be returning to the school or to Berkeley County Schools.”
Shoup was allegedly discovered hiding inside a closet inside the girls’ locker room for the visiting team from Hedgesville High School.
“Law enforcement was contacted immediately and responded to the school, where the individual was apprehended, and a total of 29 charges have since been filed,” according to a press release from Berkeley County Schools.
School Superintendent Dr. Ryan Saxe said, “We appreciate the quick action and urgency demonstrated by Martinsburg City Police Department. As part of their immediate response, and in conjunction with school administration from both schools, all students involved were interviewed, and families were contacted last evening. We are grateful to our administrators for working closely with law enforcement to communicate with and support the impacted families.”
Shoup was arraigned Thursday in Berkeley County Magistrate where he pleaded not guilty to all 29 charges, which include 14 counts of “Invasion of privacy – Visual portrayal of other who is full or partially nude without permission” and 13 counts of attempting “to commit a felony punishable by imprisonment for a term less than life.”
Magistrate court records indicate Shoup also faces two counts related to possessing a firearm or deadly weapon in or on school grounds.
Shoup is in the Eastern Regional Jail on $1.3 million bail.
Saxe said the school district is not releasing further information at this time.
“We understand that this situation may raise serious concerns within our school community. While we recognize the desire for additional information, we are unable to share further details at this time in order to protect privacy and preserve the integrity of the investigation. We can share that our district follows a comprehensive hiring process that includes background checks for all employees.”
Saxe went on to say, “We deeply regret that this incident occurred and understand the fear, stress, and concern this may cause for our students, families, and staff. Our thoughts are with the students and teams involved, and support services have been initiated for any students who may need assistance as they work through the emotional impact of this incident.”