Police have arrested and charged seven Virginia men as part of a sting operation targeting online predators.
The Fairfax County-led operation was carried out in December and involved law enforcement officers posing as children online. Police said the seven men initiated explicit conversations and solicited sex from the officers.
When the suspects arrived at an agreed-upon location, detectives were waiting to take them into custody. The men, ranging in age from 26 to 52, were charged with a total of 49 felony offenses, including soliciting sex from a minor and possession of child pornography.
In a news release Tuesday, the Fairfax County Police Department named the seven suspects as:
- Danial Siridavong, 33, of Woodbridge
- Edil Yovani Galvin-Dubon, 35, of Fairfax
- Moh Shakib Stanikzai, 30, of Alexandria
- Gilberto Antonio Jarquin-Medina, 26, of Alexandria
- Zim Mohammad, 23, of Springfield
- Ozgur Ozcelik, 35, of Alexandria
- David M. Thompson, 52, of Harrisonburg
Police encouraged parents to pay close attention to what their children do online and to take advantage of security settings to block access to inappropriate websites and apps.
Officials suggest parents educate themselves on the platforms their children use, and to have open conversations with them about the risks. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides internet safety information for parents.
Anyone with information on similar crimes can contact detectives at 703-246-7800, option 6, or through the crime solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).