Child Sex Sting: Springfield Man Faces Charges, Police Say

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- A Fairfax County man was arrested May 12 and faces multiple charges including attempted indecent liberties with a minor, according to authorities in Stafford County.

Fairfax County Police assisted May 12 in executing a search warrant, seizing electronic devices from a house on Applecross Lane in Springfield, home of Christopher Samuel Hawthorne, 41, authorities said.

For the past few months, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office conducted online investigations into persons who target children for exploitation, the Sheriff's Office said. Detective Darryl Wells portrayed juveniles in various social media and chat rooms to identify and locate individuals who are interested in such activity.

Hawthorne was caught in the sting operation and was placed under arrest May 12, according to Fairfax County and Stafford County officials; after an initial stay at the Fairfax County jail, he was transferred May 13 and was being held without bond in the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

Hawthorne faces a total of six charges. Direct indictments were delivered from the Stafford Circuit Court grand jury April 4 for two counts of attempted indecent liberties with a minor and four counts of the use of electronic means to procure a minor.

Hawthorne engaged the juvenile that Wells was portraying in sexual activity propositions while online, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.

PHOTO: Christopher Samuel Hawthorne, 41 of Fairfax County; photo courtesy of Stafford County Sheriff's Office