Undercover child predator string in Fairfax County leads to 10 arrests
Undercover child predator string in Fairfax County leads to 10 arrests
Fairfax County police have arrested 10 men in a child predator sting. Detectives posed as minors, luring suspects to a location before making the arrests. FOX 5's Regina Yurrita has more.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Fairfax County police have arrested 10 men in a child predator sting.
Detectives posed as minors, luring suspects to a location before making the arrests.
The details:
Fairfax County police are calling the operation "Spring Bloom." It was a six-day undercover sting targeting child predators that led to 10 arrests.
Investigators say every one of these men traveled to the county believing they were meeting a child for sex.
The men range in age from 21 to 64. Some local, others coming in from out of the county, and even out of state.
According to Fairfax County police, detectives posed as minors online. They messaged these individuals and clearly stated that they were underage.
These men then initiated explicit conversations. Detectives continued to engage online and set up meet-ups in Fairfax County, and when they showed up, expecting to meet with a child, they were met by police and were arrested.
All 10 now face a combined 19 felony charges, including solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
What they're saying:
Fairfax County police say this was a coordinated operation with other law enforcement agencies.
"Detectives from our Child Exploitation Unit, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI posed online as underage children on various online platforms to identify individuals who seek out underage children for criminal sexual acts," said Major James Curry, Commander, Criminal Investigations Division.
Most of the men are being held without bond, except for two.
Police say none of the suspects worked in jobs with direct access to children but some do have prior criminal backgrounds.
Important reminder:
Authorities continue to urge parents to stay alert online.
"I’m a mom, and that scares me," Odette Kally told FOX 5.
"They know — don’t talk to strangers. Make sure they’re your friends, not someone behind the screen," mom Kimberly Echegaray added.
Officials say the message is simple: talk to your kids, and make sure they report any suspicious or inappropriate messages.