Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
A teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia, was among several people arrested in connection with a local sting operation meant to entrap online predators. According to Fairfax County Police, seven men, ages ranging from 24 to 50, are now facing a total of 25 federal charges. One of the seven alleged suspects was Richard Berkowitz, a physical education teacher at Falls Church High School. Berkowitz was immediately suspended from the Fairfax County Public School system following his arrest.
Elizabeth Melendez of the Fairfax County Police Department stated, “Our detectives conducted an operation where they utilized online platforms and phone applications to engage in conversations.” Investigators posed as children online and communicated with adults who expressed interest in meeting up with them for a sexual encounter. Those who went to meet up with the suspected child in person were detained by the police and taken into custody. Melendez also stated, “On several occasions, these predators sent explicit images of themselves to the detectives, while also soliciting explicit images of the minor in return.” The suspects arrested in the operation were reportedly from various locations across the Washington D.C. metro region. Melendez urged parents to be vigilant about their children’s online interactions and to monitor their access to websites that can host child predators.
