WASHINGTON — A Montgomery County, Maryland, police officer is among seven people arrested in an internet sting in Prince William County, Virginia.
The Prince William County police said the arrests were the result of a sting operation in which the suspects made arrangements online to meet with who they thought were juveniles for sex.
They were, in fact, Prince William County detectives; in each case, the suspects were arrested when they showed up at public location in Prince William County for the supposed meetings.
Among the seven arrested was Christopher B. Dunkes, 27, of Gaithersburg. Montgomery County police spokesman Capt. Paul Starks says Dunkes was hired by the Montgomery County police in February 2014 and is part of the Bethesda uniformed patrol division.
Dunkes has been charged with three counts of using a communication device to facilitate certain offense with children, the Prince William County police said. He’s being held without bond. Starks says Dunkes has been suspended without pay; internal affairs is investigating.
The other six suspects, all from Virginia:
- Steven Castillo, 26, of Woodbridge;
- Jeffrey Dimond, 35, of Fredericksburg;
- Curtis Jenkins, 54, of Fairfax;
- Jordan Kolbinskie, 23, of Manassas;
- David Lee Mathes, 58, of Warrenton;
- Chad Warner, 24, of Sterling.
They’ve all been charged with using a communication device to facilitate certain offense with children. Castillo also also been charged with one count of attempted indecent liberties; Jenkins, with solicitation of prostitution and using a vehicle to promote prostitution.
The Prince William County police say no actual children were involved in communications with the suspects, but they’ve released a list of resources for parents who want to make sure their kids don’t fall into such situations in real life:
- Talking to Your Kids
- Protecting Your Child’s Privacy Online
- Kids and Computer Safety
- Tips for Parental Controls
- Kids Texting and Sexting
- Kids and Mobile Phones
