Eight Virginia Sexual Predators Arrested: Police

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Fairfax County detectives from the Child Exploitation Unit arrested eight sexual predators in a recent three-day operation. The operation resulted in about 25 local and federal criminal charges including solicitation of a minor, solicitation of a minor for prostitution, attempted indecent liberties with a minor and drug possession.

Fairfax County Police said detectives went undercover as minors online. They received solicitations and sexually explicit images from men wanting to meet up with children to engage in inappropriate sexual activity. Detectives would arrange a meeting and arrest suspects on the scene.

The operation was conducted with assistance from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Below are the suspects and the charges they face. The eighth is excluded due to an ongoing investigation, police say.

Joseph Selkow Garcia, 30, of Woodbridge: Indecent Liberties, Computer Solicitation

Fernando Barbosa, 46, of Fairfax Station: Attempted Indecent Liberties and Computer Solicitation

Joshua Veary, 23, of Reston: Three counts of Computer Solicitation

Mohammad Abdo, 20, of Gainesville: Solicitation for Prostitution, Computer Solicitation, Attempted Indecent Liberties

Kirk Mason, 43, of Lothian, Md.: Computer Solicitation

Aristotle Panapolous, 43, of McLean: Computer Solicitation, Attempted Indecent Liberties

Steven Hill, 64, Woodbridge: Computer Solicitation, Attempted Indecent Exposure

Anyone with information about suspected child sexual exploitation should contact the Major Crimes Division at 703-246-7800 or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131. Submit a tip through Crime Solvers, text “TIP187” plus your message to 274637, or by calling 1-866-411-TIPS.

Handcuffs image via Shutterstock

Suspect images via Fairfax County Police