Virginia repeat sex offender found guilty of 12 felony loitering charges in Arlington
Virginia repeat sex offender found guilty of 12 felony loitering charges in Arlington
A Virginia man entered no contest pleas Thursday to 12 felony counts of sex offender loitering, resulting in guilty findings by an Arlington County Circuit Court judge.
ARLINGTON, Va. - A Virginia man entered no contest pleas Thursday to 12 felony counts of sex offender loitering, resulting in guilty findings by an Arlington County Circuit Court judge.
Richard K. Cox entered the pleas without a sentence agreement or concessions from prosecutors.
RELATED: Serial sex offender found guilty of 12 felony charges in Northern Virginia after previous conviction
The convictions follow a decision by the Virginia Court of Appeals, which reversed an earlier Circuit Court dismissal and allowed the Commonwealth’s Attorney to reinstate the loitering charges.
Registered sex offender accused of lurking in women's locker rooms due in court in May: officials
Each Class 6 felony count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, exposing Cox to up to 60 years behind bars on the loitering offenses alone.
The loitering convictions add to Cox's legal troubles. In February 2026, a jury convicted him of two counts of possession of child pornography as a repeat offender. Those charges carry an additional combined maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Cox is awaiting sentencing on both cases.
RELATED: Virginia sex offender caught exposing themselves at schools and gyms: police
Fourteen additional charges against Cox remain pending, including five counts of indecent liberties, five counts of indecent exposure, three counts of unlawful presence on school property by a Tier III sex offender, and one count of identity theft.
Prosecutors said they will continue to pursue all remaining counts, which are scheduled for a jury trial beginning Jan. 11, 2027.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.