7 Men, including Fairfax County Teacher, Arrested in Online Preduration: Police

Fairfax County, VA. (7News) – Seven men, including two teachers, face a total of 25 crimes in Fairfax County, Virginia after a police operation targeting online predators, according to Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) on Tuesday.

The men between the ages of 24 and 50 were allegedly caught using social media platforms to send inappropriate messages to undercover agents that make up as minors. All seven suspects thought they met with a minor in a designated area to perform alleged sexual meetings, but were arrested by police, authorities said.

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The following suspects were identified and facing several charges:

• 50-year-old Chad Hockman, from Warrenton, VA: Accused of requesting a minor and unseemly freedom with a minor.
• 47-year-old Carlos Antonio Saenz from Manassas, VA.: Accused of the request of a minor
• 28-year-old Gustavo Ramos Cahuaya, from Sterling, VA .: Accused of the request of a minor
• Richard Joseph Berkowitz, from Fairfax, VA. Accused of four counts of the request of a minor and two counts of the production of sexual abuse of children.
• 48-year-old Enrique Montesflores Espana, from Arlington, VA .: Accused of requesting a minor and contributing to the criminal act of a minor.
• 24-year-old Charles Stephen Wolf, from Washinton, DC: Indicated by three counts of the request of a minor use of the vehicle to promote illegal intercourse with a minor and unseemly freedom with a minor.
• 45-year-old Geoffrey Testa from New York: Accused of four counts of the request of a minor and the production of sexual abuse of children.

Also read | 10 arrested in Fairfax County Child Exploitation Sting Operation, police say

Berkowitz, a physical education teacher at Falls Church High School since 2013, was originally suspended on January 27, according to FCPD Police Chief Kevin Davis.

Testa, a teacher at Amherst Central High School in Buffalo was detained by state officials and led to the Erie County Correctional Center pending the delivery of Fairfax County. Amherst Central School’s Faculty Catalog did not mention Testa on its website from Tuesday.

Davis warned in April 2024 that cases of child sex abuse have increased. The same month, five Virginia and Maryland residents were arrested by the county police in an online operation that took place while students were in the jump break.

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The operation was performed using fake accounts on apps on social media such as Tiktok, Snapchat and several others.

At that time, Davis and other Fairfax County officials warned parents to become more involved in their child’s social media habits and pay more attention to their telephone use.