Former Fairfax County Teacher's Aide Gets 12 Years In Prison

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A former teacher's aide for Fairfax County Public Schools was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison in a child sexual exploitation case in federal court. Monis Irfan, 21, of Springfield also faces 20 years of supervised release.

Prosecutors say an undercover detective posed as a father with a 7-year-old child and communicated with Irfan in January. Irfan repeatedly said he was sexually active with children and wanted to perform sexual acts on the detective's fictitious child. Irfan sent sexually explicit messages and images to the detective and set up a time to meet. He believed he was meeting to perform sexual acts on the child, but instead he was arrested.

Further investigations found Irfan received and distributed child pornography videos showing sexual abuse of an infant over his phone's encrypted messaging apps. He also recorded a video of himself engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior with a 5-year-old child on his phone.

Irfan worked as an instructional assistant and substitute teacher, one of which was at Bush Hill Elementary. He was suspended from his job at FCPS. After his arrest, a grand federal jury indicted Irfan on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt, distribution, possession, and transportation of child pornography. He pleaded guilty in July.