FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Ten men were arrested in Fairfax County for attempting to lure children into sexual encounters using online platforms, Fairfax County Police announced during a press conference Monday.
According to police, during the six-day operation called ‘Operation Spring Bloom’ detectives acted as underage children across internet platforms.
The suspects arranged to meet in Fairfax County with the undercover officers over online platforms, believing they were setting them up with children. When the suspects arrived at the meeting locations, they were met by detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau’s Child Exploitation Unit.
Police believe the majority of the suspects traveled to the meeting locations from outside of Fairfax County.
The 10 men arrested are Jose Rivas Reyes, 32, of Alexandria; Steven Schoshinski, 64, of Fairfax; Milton Romero Hernandez, 48, of Bealeton; Ian Milbourne, 38, of Herndon; James Wei, 46, of Reston; Mohamed Al Hashim, 33, of Maryland; Anthony Smith, 33, of Manassas; Marcos Justo, 21, of Stafford; Sergio Rios Lecca, 39, of Sterling; and Fraz Aulakh, 31, of Maryland.
10 alleged child predators nabbed by Fairfax County Police in ‘Operation Spring Bloom’ (Fairfax County Police Department)
Police advise parents to closely monitor their children’s online activity and to use safety resources from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
