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Detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Bureau arrested seven men as part of a "Traveler Operation” sting to identify and apprehend online predators that was conducted over several days last month.
The men ranged in age from 26 to 52 years old and were charged with a total of 49 felonies.
Those arrested:
- Danial Siridavong, 33, of Woodbridge was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 28, and charged with two counts of use of communications systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children and one count of attempting indecent liberties;
- Edil Yovani Galvin-Dubon, 35, of Fairfax was arrested on Thursday, Dec. 22, and charged with attempted indecent liberties with a minor, 20 counts of possession/reproduction of child pornography with the intent to distribute second offense, four counts of use of communications systems to propose to such child the performance of a sexual act and two counts of aggravated sexual battery from a 2017 incident;
- Moh Shakib Stanikzai, 30, of Alexandria was arrested on Dec. 22 and charged with one count of computer solicitation of a child under 15 and attempted indecent liberties with a child under 15;
- Gilberto Antonio Jarquin-Medina, 26, of Alexandria was arrested on Dec. 22, and was charged with one count of computer solicitation of a child under 15 and attempted indecent liberties;
- Zim Mohammad, 23, of Springfield was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 21, and charged with the use of communications systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children and one count of enticing a minor to produce pornography;
- Ozgur Ozcelik, 35, of Alexandria was arrested on Dec. 21, and charged with two counts of use of communications systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children and one count of attempting indecent liberties.
During the sting, a seventh suspect, David M. Thompson, 52, of Harrisonburg, was also contacted and attempted to solicit sex from police officers posing as children.
He was arrested on Friday, Jan. 6 at his home, where he was met by Virginia State Police and the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, who charged him with two counts of child porn production, six counts of distributing child pornography and two counts of use of communications systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children
According to police, in each case, the offenders used different Internet platforms to initiate explicit conversations and solicit sex from police officers posing as children.
In each instance, police say that the suspects arrived at the agreed-upon locations, at which point they were taken into custody.
“Parents are urged to closely monitor their children’s online activities and use available security settings to prevent the use of inappropriate sites or platforms,” a police spokesperson stated. "Children should be encouraged to report any person engaging in inappropriate conversations or trying to coerce them into providing sexually explicit images of themselves."
Anyone with information regarding any of the incidents, or who has information regarding similar suspects has been asked to contact the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau by calling (703) 246-7800 and choosing option 6.
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