Fairfax County police have arrested and charged Juan Alfaro Rodriguez, a 42-year old Herndon man, with obscene sexual display, sexual battery, and indecent exposure on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, following a joint investigation between Fairfax County and Herndon police departments with assistance from the United States Marshal Service.
In total, police are aware of at least 21 incidents — 13 from Fairfax County and eight from Herndon — which may be linked to Rodriguez, dating back to mid-July.
Rodriguez was arrested in Herndon on Thursday, September 8, for out-of-state charges regarding an attempted rape case in Suffolk, New York, and has since received five charges for indecent exposure in the Fairfax and Herndon areas. He remains in custody at the Adult Detention Center, where he is held without bond, according to Lt. Ryan Lazisky, the assistant commander of the violent crimes division for the Fairfax County Police Department.
“I am proud to announce that Fairfax County and the town of Herndon are safer communities than they were just a few days ago,” Lazisky said in a press conference.
Herndon Chief of Police Maggie DeBoard released a timeline of the investigation in a video statement on September 11, stating that police became aware of the situation around August 26 and began investigating the situation through victim testimony.
On September 7, detectives received a call from the United States Marshal Service Fugitive Unit, informing them that the suspect involved in the Suffolk case was currently residing in the Herndon area, and may be the same as the man seen on the W&OD trail. Rodriguez was arrested that day in Herndon for the Suffolk assault, and Marshals provided area police with arrest photos. It was not until September 8, when Herndon police received what Lazisky called a “very good tip,” that police were able to make a positive identification linking Rodriguez to the W&OD incidents.
Between September 8 and 9, Rodriguez received three warrants for crimes related to the indecent exposures on the trail, followed by two additional warrants on September 11.
“It was the victims who courageously came forward and trusted the Herndon Police Department to report to us their incidents,” says DeBoard. “Based on the information we obtained from these brave citizens and victims, and with the information provided by the United States Marshal Service and the assistance from the Fairfax County Police Department, we were able to remove a predator from our community.”
Police are continuing to review the case for additional evidence and are asking that anyone with information on the matter contact detectives at 703-246-7800, option 3, or anonymously through Crime Solvers.
Feature image, Natalia Bratslavsky/stock.adobe.com
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