crimes against children

Man sentenced to prison after exploiting 41 girls on Snapchat: prosecutors

Published September 29, 2026 at 9:15AM

The Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria (file photo)

A man who prosecutors say terrorized dozens of young girls to obtain sexually explicit material — and was previously convicted in Fairfax County of the sexual assault of two minors—was recently sentenced to 40 years in prison on federal charges.

Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, of Woodbridge, pleaded guilty in April to one count of production of child sexual assault material and one count of possession. He was sentenced on Friday (Sept. 25) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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Man sentenced to 18 years in attempted child exploitation case

By Mary Stachyra Lopez

Published September 25, 2026 at 1:45PM

The Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A man who repeatedly tried to exploit a purported 14-year-old — who was actually an undercover Fairfax County police officer — for lewd images and sex last year was sentenced to 18 years in prison earlier this week.

According to court records, Mario Alexander Bonilla Canales, 50, was found guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of a child during a two-day bench trial held in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in June.

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JUST IN: Health care coalition leader charged with illegally filming teens in Tysons stores

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 15, 2026 at 11:45AM

Shawn Gremminger (via FCPD)

The recently removed leader of a national coalition of health care purchasers is facing an assortment of criminal charges after allegedly taking obscene videos of teens at Tysons stores.

Officers were called to the 1900 block of Chain Bridge Road at around 12:30 p.m. on both Aug. 16 and 17 for reports of unlawful filming, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

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Teacher at Tysons daycare charged after allegedly hitting children

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 31, 2026 at 8:30AM

FAZ Creative Education Learning Center in Tysons (via Google Maps)

An Alexandria woman has been charged with assault after allegedly hitting two children at the Tysons daycare center where she was teaching.

Detectives went to the FAZ Creative Education Learning Center at 1776 Old Meadow Road last Thursday (Aug. 27) after receiving a report of an assault, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

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Lorton tennis coach pleads guilty to inappropriate conduct with minors

By Mary Stachyra Lopez

Published August 17, 2026 at 2:45PM

The front of the Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A private tennis coach could face up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty last Thursday (Aug. 13) to three counts of indecent liberties and two counts of solicitation of a minor.

Tony Dale Adams of Lorton was arrested last November after the Fairfax County Police Department alleged that he “engaged in unlawful and inappropriate contact as a private tennis coach with the victim while she was underage.”

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Reston daycare teacher charged with assault of 3-year-old boy

By Mary Stachyra Lopez

Published August 14, 2026 at 8:30AM

An ad for Bright Horizons Daycare at Commerce Metro Center on Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston, seen in January 2025 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A daycare teacher is facing charges of misdemeanor assault and battery following an alleged assault on a child at the Reston school, Fairfax County police said yesterday (Aug. 13).

Detectives responded to Bright Horizons Daycare at 11400 Commerce Park Drive on Aug. 7 for a report of an assault on the 3-year-old.

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Bailey’s Crossroads pastor accused of sending explicit images to teen

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 23, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated July 23, 2026 at 4:02PM

A sign for Crossroads Baptist Church in Bailey's Crossroads (via Google Maps)

The senior pastor at Crossroads Baptist Church in Bailey’s Crossroads was arrested this week in connection with allegations that he sent sexually explicit images to a teen for more than a year.

Kenneth Baldwin, a 46-year-old resident of Lincolnia, has been charged by Pennsylvania State Police with three counts of indecent exposure, six counts of open lewdness, two counts of unlawful contact with a minor, and both felony and misdemeanor counts of corrupting minors, according to court documents.

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Bailey’s Crossroads man indicted for alleged murder, abuse of infant daughter

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 20, 2026 at 1:15PM

Misael Lopez Gomez has been charged with murder after his 3-month-old daughter was found unresponsive in a Bailey's Crossroads apartment (mugshot courtesy FCPD, apartment image via Google Maps)

A Bailey’s Crossroads man accused of killing his infant daughter earlier this year is set to face trial.

Misael Lopez Gomez, 28, was indicted by a grand jury this morning (Monday) on charges of aggravated murder and felony child abuse, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced.

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FCPD: Man charged with sexually abusing boy in Woodlawn

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 19, 2026 at 8:30AM

Fairfax County police car close-up (file photo)

A Woodlawn man was arrested on Wednesday (June 17) after allegedly inappropriately touching a boy in a bathroom stall, police say.

Officers were called to the 8100 block of Fernlake Court on Tuesday (June 16) at around 7:10 p.m. for a report of a sexual assault, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

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JUST IN: Three FCPS employees charged with separate crimes in past week

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 5, 2026 at 5:50PM | Updated June 5, 2026 at 7:24PM

Left to right: Stephanie Gale, Matthew Thorsen and Trevor Papavasiliou (courtesy FCPD)

Three people employed by Fairfax County Public Schools were arrested this week for different crimes at local schools, including one case of allegedly inappropriate behavior with a student.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Langley High School math teacher Matthew Thorsen, 38, was taken into custody at his home in Reston yesterday (Thursday) after detectives found that he had “engaged in unlawful and inappropriate contact with a student.”