A Fairfax County, Virginia, music teacher has been convicted of soliciting a minor and faces up to seven years in prison.
The investigation into 41-year-old Ryan Thomas Pick of Woodbridge began in July 2018 when an officer posed as a 12-year-old for an undercover chat investigation on Omegle, a social networking site.
The officer was connected with Pick, who chatted with the officer and made comments that were “sexual in nature,” according to a news release from the office of Attorney General Mark Herring. Pick sent a video of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct and made comments about sex acts he wanted to engage in with the 12-year-old.
Investigators learned that Pick was a music teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools, a music director at his church, a private music instructor and a seasonal pizza delivery man.
Officers executed a warrant at Pick’s home in August of 2018, where he admitted to chatting with the purported 12-year-old.
A Hanover County jury convicted Pick of one count of soliciting a minor under 15, and two counts of using a communication system to procure a minor for an unlawful act.
Upon his release, Pick will be required to register as a sex offender where he lives or works.
“Individuals who sexually solicit children are robbing them of their childhood and their innocence, and what is even more troubling is that this man worked with children on a daily basis,” said Herring. “Because of the work my team and local law enforcement agencies put into this, another dangerous predator is out of our community. My office will continue to seek justice against those who would exploit and harm children like this.”
He will be formally sentenced on Nov. 22.
