An Alexandria man was among nine men arrested last month as part of an online child exploitation sting by the Fairfax County Police Department.
Henry Flores Herrera, 39, was arrested on July 16 and charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution and using a computer to solicit a minor after allegedly soliciting a detective posing as a juvenile online. Herrera and other suspects believed they were going to meet a juvenile and instead met officers from the department’s Child Exploitation Unit in Fairfax County and were arrested, according to FCPD.
“During the online operation, detectives posed as juveniles to identify individuals using internet platforms to initiate sexually explicit conversations with children,” FCPD said in a release.
Soliciting prostitution from a minor is a Class 6 felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $2,500 fine, and using an electronic device to solicit a minor is a Class 5 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine.
Herrera was released on a $5,000 bond and has a preliminary hearing on Sept. 28.
The nine suspects arrested range from 21 to 48 years old, and face a total of 20 charges.
The suspects and their charges are listed below.
- Jonathan William Carter, 29, of Statesville, North Carolina, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor. He was released on a $5,000 secured bond
- Ammar Ezzulddin Alhafidh, 48, of Ashburn, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor and Procuring a Minor for Prostitution. He is being held without bond
- Carlos Navarrete Campos, 42, of Manassas, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor and Procuring a Minor for Prostitution. He was released on a $1,500 secured bond
- Favio Daniel Sejas Escobar, 44, of Springfield, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor. He was released on a $1,500 secured bond
- Henry Flores Herrera, 39, of Alexandria, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor and Solicitation of a Minor for Prostitution. He was released on a $5,000 secured bond
- Joshua Paul Blochowicz, 41, of Stafford, was arrested and charged with three counts of Solicitation of a Minor and Attempted Indecent Liberties with a Minor. He was released on a $5,000 secured bond
- Rashad Taheem Norris, 32, of Woodbridge, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor and Attempted Indecent Liberties with a Minor. He was held on no bond
- Reyben Sanchez Hernandez, 21, of Reston, was arrested and charged with Solicitation of a Minor, Procuring a Minor for Prostitution, and Driving on a Suspended License. He was released on a $3,000 secured bond
- Wilmer Aguilar Cruz, 28, of Woodbridge, was arrested and charged with two counts of Solicitation of a Minor and Attempted Indecent Liberties with a Minor. He was released on a $3,000 secured bond
Anyone with information on these or other similar incidents involving children can contact the FCPD Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 6. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477) and online.
