30 Pedophiles Arrested in Virginia as Part of Operation 'COVID Crackdown'
Police sting set up to catch predators targeting children doing school work online
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Police in Virginia have arrested thirty alleged pedophiles as part of an anti-child abuse operation called "COVID Crackdown."
The predators were caught in just one Virginia county over the course of this month in a sting operation set up to catch child abusers who target children online.
The undercover investigation is designed to protect children using the internet to take school classes amid the coronavirus lockdown measures.
The successful operation has put handcuffs on 30 potential predators and brought a total of 68 felony charges.
The pedophiles were starting "explicit conversations" with cops posing as children online before trying to "initiate sex" with them, officers at Fairfax County Police found.
The alleged pedophiles, all of them male aged 20 to 74, were arrested at the locations they had agreed to meet the "underage children," and got a nasty surpise to find police officers waiting for them instead.
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All thirty arrested now face more than one count of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties or soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Major Ed O’Carroll, Bureau Commander of Major Crimes for the department said in a statement:
"Our detectives have remained vigilant and they recognized the increased threat posed by online predators in recent weeks.
"I commend their ability to adapt during this unprecedented public health pandemic and to do so in the interest of protecting our children and bringing justice to those who commit these repugnant crimes."
The men arrested were either from Virginia county or had traveled from Maryland, West Virginia, or Washington D.C.
More than 50 million children in the United States are at home due to the coronavirus pandemic that forced the shut down of schools, restaurants, and bars, and other businesses deemed non-essential.
While states are developing plans to slowly reopen, it's unclear if that will take weeks or months, which means children will likely be at home for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school.
With many taking online classes this could mean they are spending more time on the internet and are therefore more exposed to dangers posed by pedophiles who use the internet to exploit children.
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Names of those arrested in Virginia this month for alleged pedophilia:
Cesar Vales II, 29, of Manassas, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Halmar Lizama Henriquez, 26, of no fixed address, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Juan Moreno Colindres, 65, of Maryland, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Moises Aguilar Cano, 36, of Manassas, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Renzo Portal, 26, of Centreville, charged with solicitation of a minor and soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Zachary Kearns, 31, of Oakton, charged with two counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Carlos Deras Lopez, 30, of Alexandria, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Franklin Galvez, 25, of Maryland, charged with solicitation of a minor and soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Jose Argueta Amaya, 32, of West Virginia, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Mohamed Mansaray, 23, of Alexandria, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Pedro Gonzalez, 50, of Fairfax, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Yuson Joshi, 27, of Woodbridge, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Carlos Giron-Reyes, 22, of Woodbridge, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties
Eric Womack, 36, of Washinton D.C., charged with two counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Jean Pardo Pesantes, 22, of Maryland, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Jose Mejia Carabantes, 36, of Fairfax, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Nelson Sosa Grande, 38, of Fairfax, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Xavier Jackson, 24, of Springfield, charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Alfonso Diaz-Martinez, 36, of Sterling, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Concepcion Gonzalez, 38, of Reston, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Japher Flores Arriaza, 20, of Fairfax, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Kumar Bhandari, 37, of Annandale, was charged with two counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Nelson Diaz Ramos, 32, of Annandale, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Tod Rehm, 74, of Fairfax, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Adam Wheeling, 26, of Haymarket, was charged with four counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Christopher Barnard, 27, of Burke, was charged with solicitation of a minor and soliciting a minor for prostitution.
James Rosenberger, 28, of Warrenton, was charged with two counts of solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Kirrolos Guirguis, 25, of Herndon, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Naga Bollina, 42, of Ashburn, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
Thomas Kuglin, 39, of Chantilly, was charged with solicitation of a minor and attempted indecent liberties.
