A former independent contractor for after-school programs in Fairfax County Public Schools is being held without bond and faces 24 felony counts after police said he inappropriately touched a 7-year-old in a grocery store and unlawfully filmed girls in two elementary schools.
Arturo Elmore-Adon, 25, of Reston, has been charged with a variety of charges that range from possession of child sexual abuse materials to unlawful filming to aggravated sexual battery.
“Most of these crimes occurred in elementary schools in McLean and Herndon,” said Police Chief Kevin Davis, who called Elmore-Adon “a disturbing and sick man,” during a Wednesday news conference.
The victims were 6- to 8-year-old girls and attended Fox Mill Elementary School in Herndon and Churchill Elementary School in McLean where Elmore-Adon ran an after-school program from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Police said seven videos involving the children had been filmed by either hiding his phone in a bathroom or when Elmore-Adon placed a phone underneath the girls’ pants, shorts, or skirts.
“It is heartbreaking to understand this situation,” said FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid. “We are deeply troubled by this.”
Reid said a background check was last done on Elmore-Adon in 2022. He worked as a vendor through Falls Church–based Baroody Camps, as an independent contractor for after-school programs from September 2022 through May 2023.
She said she wanted to make sure the school system communicated with the broader community. “We are committed to communication that will be ongoing on the situation as appropriate. We are sensitive also, and want to make sure that the families directly involved feel our full support and that we don’t in any way cause any further trauma to the children or families in that situation,” she said.
Davis said the police department first started its investigation when a 7-year-old girl was touched inappropriately at a Safeway in Reston on August 9. Davis said Elmore-Adon followed a family from aisle to aisle that night, put a phone under the child’s shorts and took a photo.
Police worked over 25 days and collaborated with FCPS on the investigation.
“What our detectives discovered inside Elmore-Adon’s phone was nothing short of disturbing and disgusting,” said Fairfax County Police Maj. Daniel Spital during a Wednesday news conference.
Detectives found over 400 videos and images downloaded from international websites.
Spital said that investigators still have half of a terabyte of digital content to review.
“If there are additional crimes committed, we will hold him accountable,” Davis said.
Arturo Elmore-Adon is scheduled to be back in court for a preliminary hearing on December 23.
Feature image courtesy Fairfax County Police Department/Facebook
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