Pre-school teacher among 8 men arrested in sex predator sting
Investigators with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office have arrested eight men accused of using the internet to try to exploit children and it was later discovered that one of the suspects is a local pre-school teacher. FOX 5’s Shomari Stone is live in Rockville with the details.
ROCKVILLE, Md. – Investigators with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office have arrested eight men accused of using the internet to try to exploit children and it was later discovered that one of the suspects is a local pre-school teacher.
What we know:
Neighbors of 26-year-old Michael Sherman were shocked to hear of his arrest.
He worked in several positions at the Bender JCC Rockville community center and was more recently a pre-school teacher. The Bender JCC immediately terminated his employment on the day of the arrest and notified parents about it.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office arrested Sherman and seven other suspects on Friday, April 21, charging them with “online solicitation of a minor.”
What they’re saying:
In a written statement, Bender JCC officials said, in part, “Michael Sherman had no previous allegations made against him at the time of his hire. As standard practice for all employees, the Bender JCC conducted regular background checks and screenings during Michael Sherman’s employment that did not yield prior misconduct.”
They went on to say, “Bender JCC is fully committed to providing a safe environment for children and youth and has had an ongoing partnership with the Center for Hope of Lifebridge Health, which provides regular staff training and review of its child protection policies.”
Sherman is prohibited from returning to Bender JCC.
Big picture view:
The Sheriff’s Office says the suspects believed they were communicating with minors under the age of 15 on a variety of chat and social media platforms.
They’re issuing an urgent reminder to parents to monitor what their children are doing online and on messaging platforms.