News - NOVADC ICAC

Spotsylvania Woman Arrested On Child Pornography, Aggravated Sexual Battery Charges

November 21, 2024/in Press Release/by Rob Brown

On November 18, 2024, the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office Child Victim Unit members received an online cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding an online account where images of child sexual abuse were being uploaded, stored, and the potential sharing of these images. NCMEC works with families, victims, private industry, law enforcement, and the public to assist with preventing child abductions, recovering missing children, and providing services to deter and combat child sexual exploitation.

After conducting an investigation and reviewing the reported items, a search warrant was obtained on the residence of Ashley Kriesten, 9600 block of Leaf Lane, Spotsylvania County. Multiple electric devices were seized during the search warrant. Ashley Kriesten, was arrested and charged with five counts of 18.2-374.1:1(A) Possession, reproduction, distribution, solicitation, and facilitation of child pornography, five counts of 18.2-374.1:1.(C) Possession, reproduction, distribution, solicitation, and facilitation of child pornography, and two counts of 18.2-67.3(A1) Aggravated Sexual Battery.

The identity and relationship of the juveniles are being withheld for their protection.

Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office is a member of the NOVA-DC Internet Crimes Against Children Virginia State Police Taskforce (NOVA-DC ICAC). ICAC which is a national network of law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies that helps state and local agencies respond to online child exploitation of other crimes.

If you believe a child is being abused, please contact the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office at the numbers below, the Spotsylvania County Department of Social Services at 540-507-7898, Virginia CPS State Hotline at (804) 786-8536/Out-of-state: (800) 552-7096, or The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). As a community, it is up to us to keep our children safe.

Maryland Man Sentenced to 75 Years in Prison for Soliciting a Minor Online

March 5, 2024/in Press Release/by NOVADC ICAC

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NOVA-DC ICAC) and the Rockingham County Commonwealth’s Attorney announce the sentencing of a Maryland man to 75 years in prison, with 36 years suspended, after he pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor online. The charges against John R. Raff, 42, of Perryville, Md., date back to 2014, when he was arrested in Maryland and extradited to Virginia for an ongoing NOVA-DC ICAC Task Force investigation. Raff was attempting to sexually solicit someone he believed to be a minor.

Following his arrest in 2014, Raff posted bond and fled to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Rockingham Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and Virginia State Police, along with the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, INTERPOL, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Egyptian authorities, were able to locate him and secure his extradition back to the United States. Raff pled guilty in November 2023 to three felony counts of Use of a Communications Systems to Facilitate Certain Offenses Involving Children (Code of VA 18.2-374.3) and three counts of Failure to Appear in court. He was sentenced in Rockingham County Circuit Court March 1, 2024.

“This case should send a clear message to criminals who think they can flee justice,” said Rockingham County Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Alycia Eldridge. “Thanks to the steadfast determination and coordination between my office, the Virginia State Police NOVA-DC ICAC Task Force agent, the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, INTERPOL, and Egyptian authorities, we were able to successfully secure the arrest and extradition of a sexual predator back to Virginia to be held responsible for his crimes.”

MUG SHOT Source credit: Rockingham/Harrisonburg Regional Jail.

Spotsylvania arrests four men in child sex sting

November 13, 2023/in Press Release/by NOVADC ICAC

The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday the arrests of four men accused of attempting to have sexual relations with someone they thought was a 13-year-old girl. Read more

Child pornography cases on the rise in Northern Virginia, why are Hispanics vulnerable?

September 21, 2023/in Press Release/by NOVADC ICAC

Authorities investigating death of retired Spotsylvania doctor accused of child sex crime

July 29, 2022/in Press Release/by NOVADC ICAC

Virginia State Police authorities say they will continue investigating sexual assault claims against a retired Spotsylvania County doctor who was found dead in Loudoun County on Thursday.

The death of Michael B. O’Brien, 66, is being investigated by the Loudoun Sheriff’s Office. O’Brien’s body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office in Manassas for autopsy and examination. Read More >>

Oklahoma couple pleads guilty to possessing pornographic images of 14-month-old

July 29, 2022/in Press Release/by NOVADC ICAC

A couple has plead guilty to possessing child pornography after being arrested back in 2020.

Joseph Rogers, 30, and Cherokee White, 28, have entered a guilty plea in Oklahoma County Court on Dec. 20, 2021.

The investigation began in Jan. 2020 after a Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit forwarded images depicting child pornography to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Read More >>

Loudoun County man sentenced to more than 15 years on child pornography charges

October 28, 2019/in Press Release/by NOVADC ICAC

A Loudoun County man has been sentenced to 15 years, 10 months in prison for the reproduction and possession of child pornography, according to the Office of the Attorney General.

John W. Bruce, Jr. — a resident of Aldie, according to Virginia Circuit Court documents — pleaded guilty to three counts of reproduction and 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He received his sentence from Circuit Court Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick.