Arlington Man Pees On Laptop To Escape Child Porn Charges

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Two Arlington men were among the seven suspects convicted in federal court last month as part of a nationwide initiative to combat the spread of child sexual exploitation, according to authorities. One of the suspects even attempted to escape prosecution by urinating on his laptop, authorities said.

Led by U.S. Attorney’s offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood taps federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute suspects using the internet to exploit children. The program also identifies and rescues victims of these crimes.

In March, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia opened seven new cases, made seven convictions, and delivered eight substantial sentences, according to a release.

On May 7, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home of Stephen Chadwick Howell, 26, of Arlington, according to court records. During the search, Howell urinated on his laptop in an effort to prevent the FBI from accessing his files.

Howell, who admitted in court to sexually exploiting a 15-year-old victim and producing multiple sexually explicit videos and images of the abuse, which he later distributed, court records say.

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On March 4, Howell pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and destruction of property to prevent seizure, according to court documents. His sentencing is scheduled for July 14, when he will face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

On Oct. 1, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Arlington home of 35-year-old Patrick Wanamaker, according to an affidavit filed Jan. 9 by an agent with the FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

In addition to finding child sexual abuse material on Wanamaker's cellphone and laptop, investigators discovered "several Mega links that contained 279 images and 777 videos of CSAM, including images and videos of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers," according to court records.

On March 25, Wanamaker pleaded guilty to receipt of child sexual abuse material, court documents say. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, when he'll face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison.

View the full list of the individuals indicted, charged, convicted and sentenced on child sexual abuse charges in March by the U.S. District Attorney's Office for Eastern Virginia.