6 Men From VA, MD Arrested For Child Solicitation In Online Sting

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Six men ranging in ages from 26 to 43 were arrested by Fairfax County Police as part of an online sting to identify and apprehend predators seeking to exploit children using the internet, according to a police brief.

As part of the "Summer Traveler Operation," police say the six men initiated conversations using online platforms and solicited sex from Fairfax County officers posing as children.

When the men showed up for their scheduled meeting at an agreed upon location, they were taken into custody by police. The suspects were charged with a combined 21 felonies, according to police.

• Raul Ramirez-Roja, 27, of Winchester, was charged with two counts of a proposed sex act and one count of indecent liberties with child under age 15.
• Julio Lozano Lazo, 29, of Westminster, Maryland, was charged with two counts of a proposed sex act, one count of indecent liberties with child under age 15, and one count of procuring a minor for obscene material by communication system.
• Jvonni Farmer, 28, of Woodbridge, was charged with a proposed sex act and one count of indecent liberties with child under age 15.
• Elmer Juarez Calderon, 26, of Arlington, was charged with one count of a proposed sex act and one count of indecent liberties with child under age 15
• Marcus Hal Sturdivant, 35, of Harrisonburg, was charged with four counts of a proposed sex act. He was arrested by the City of Harrisonburg Police Department.
• William Godoy Estrada, 43, of Arlington, was charged with four counts of a proposed sex act, attempted production of child pornography, and attempted indecent liberties.

Detectives from Fairfax County's Major Crimes Bureau’s Child Exploitation Unit and Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureaus conducted Summer Traveler Operation.

Police ask anyone with information about any of these cases to contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 6. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web – Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000.

Parents are encouraged to closely monitor their children's online activities and employ security settings that prevent children from viewing any age-inappropriate sites or platforms. Children should also notify their parents in case someone tries to engage them in an inappropriate conversation or tries to coerce them into sharing sexually explicit images of themselves. Additional resources can be found on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website.