9 men arrested in undercover Fairfax County child exploitation operation
Fairfax County Child Exploitation Operation
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Nine men were arrested in an undercover child exploitation operation carried out by Fairfax County police.
What we know:
A majority of the men arrested in the proactive enforcement effort traveled to the county to engage in encounters with minors, according to police.
Detectives posed as minors during the online operation to identify suspects using internet platforms to initiate sexually explicit conversations with minors.
The suspects believed they were meeting a child in Fairfax County for a sexual encounter when they were met with detectives.
The nine men arrested range in age from 21 to 48, and face 20 criminal charges between them, police said.
The following men were arrested and charged:
- Jonathan William Carter, 29, of Statesville, North Carolina, was charged with solicitation of a minor. He was released on $5,000 bond.
- Ammar Ezzulddin Alhafidh, 48, of Ashburn, was charged with solicitation of a minor and procuring a minor for prostitution. He is being held without bond.
- Carlos Navarrete Campos, 42, of Manassas, was charged with solicitation of a minor and procuring a minor for prostitution. He was released on $1,500 bond.
- Favio Daniel Sejas Escobar, 44, of Springfield, was charged with solicitation of a minor. He was released on $1,500 bond.
- Henry Flores Herrera, 39, of Alexandria, was charged with solicitation of a minor and solicitation of a minor for prostitution. He was released on $5,000 bond.
- Joshua Paul Blochowicz, 41, of Stafford, was charged with three counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties with a minor. He was released on $5,000 bond.
- Rashad Taheem Norris, 32, of Woodbridge, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties with a minor. He was held on no bond.
- Reyben Sanchez Hernandez, 21, of Reston, was charged with solicitation of a minor, procuring a minor for prostitution and driving on a suspended license. He was released on $3,000 bond.
- Wilmer Aguilar Cruz, 28, of Woodbridge, was charged with two counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties with a minor. He was released on $3,000 bond.
According to police, predators often use online applications and platforms to contact potential victims. Detectives are encouraging parents to monitor their children’s online activity and use security settings to limit access to inappropriate sites.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Fairfax County Police Department.