Kentwood ROTC instructor suspected of inappropriate relationship with student
A Kentwood ROTC instructor, suspected of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, makes his first court appearance.
That instructor was arrested yesterday, after being placed on leave by the Kent School District.
According to court documents, friends of his alleged victim notified school officials that the two were having a sexual relationship.
The suspect’s lawyer says he planned to resign and move to Arizona. In fact, his lawyer told the court this was to be his last day at Kentwood High school.
Indeed, it was to be his daughter’s last day here, too.
She graduates Saturday, a graduation he likely won’t be able to attend.
Forty-five-year-old Joseph Byrd walked into a King County district courtroom wearing a uniform unlike any he ever has. This was Byrd at Kentwood High School, a Marine Corps veteran turned instructor in the school’s Junior ROTC program.
But Judge Gregg Hirakawa recited the charges he faces, allegations showing a very different side.
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“One count of rape three, one count gross misdemeanor communication for immoral purposes and one count of sexual misconduct,” he said.
According to court documents, Byrd was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student at Kentwood High.
“The allegations show that the defendant knew his conduct was unlawful,” said Alec Anderson, King County deputy prosecutor. “However, he continued this conduct, and he did tell a minor to delete all of his text messages or he would lose his job and go to jail.”
Byrd’s lawyer argued the text messages are unreliable. He described Byrd as an Iraq war veteran, former King County sheriff’s deputy, father and husband with an unblemished record.
Then, he pleaded with Judge Hirakawa to allow Byrd to attend his daughter’s high school graduation Saturday.
“Well, he can attend as long as he posts $150,000 in bail, because I have a lot of public safety concerns,” the judge said. Any screen shots that have been alleged apparently were shown to friends, and they are the ones who reported this in the affidavit to the administration, who then called 911.”
The judge ordered Byrd to stay away from minors, so he likely can’t attend his daughter’s graduation anyway.
The King County prosecutor has until Monday to decide whether to file formal charges.
