CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Twenty Virginia men are behind bars after an online sex sting in Chesterfield County.

The Chesterfield County Police Department told 8News that it is cracking down on trafficking of minors and exploitation of both minors and the elderly.

Through this operation, officers are reminding people that online predators could always be lurking.

All 20 suspects were caught red handed in a two-day online operation conducted by the department’s Special Victims Unit. The men were arrested and booked last Thursday and Friday.

Mike Louth, Investigation Bureau Commander for Chesterfield Police, says the men displayed predatory behavior by pursuing young girls.

“They thought that they were talking to an underage young girl,” said Louth. “They tried to solicit sex from her.”

We’re told the suspects were engaging online and through social media with who they thought were young girls, but on the other side of the screen were detectives.

“If you come to the county to do that type of business don’t be surprised if we meet you,” Louth told 8News.

Louth would not share what social media apps or online platform these suspects were using to solicit young girls. However, he tells 8News that after communicating with them online, the men traveled to the county to meet up with the ‘girl’, under the pretense of having sex at an undisclosed location.

When they got there, the suspects were met by flashing lights and handcuffs and arrested on the spot.

“I’ve seen and done these operations in the past and the interesting part is you never know who is going to show up,” said Louth. “Probably all walks of life, you never know who’s going to come through the door.”

Louth wants the public to be vigilant of online predators, saying they could be anyone and anywhere. He explains that there is no concrete prototype.

The 20 men range in age from 19 to 68 years old. We’re told the majority live in the Richmond-Metro area, but some traveled from Essex, Fredericksburg and Newport News.

In total, the men are facing 45 charges. All are charged with solicitation of prostitution and some are also charged with use of a vehicle to promote prostitution.

“If you’re coming to Chesterfield County to pray on children here, there is no safe place for you in Chesterfield County,” Louth said.

The department is also reminding parents to monitor their child’s online behavior to ensure they don’t fall victim to predators.

The following suspects were arrested and charged:

  • Larry A. Brown, 40, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Joseph R. Ruffin, 51, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Jeffrey S. Harrell, 43, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Updated 10/27/2021: Gregorio Q. Curuchich, 27, of Henrico, was convicted of misdemeanor prostitution and received a $200 fine and a 12-month suspended jail sentence. He is instructed to have no unsupervised contact with minors.
  • James G. Bower III, 56, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Jonathan Ortiz Vitervo, 19, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution;
  • Michael K. Rawlings Jr., 38, of Hopewell, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution, use of a vehicle to promote prostitution, carrying a concealed weapon and firearm violation after involuntary commitment.
  • Updated 5/24/21: Sandeep K. Kichannagari, 30, of Henrico, was found guilty of misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution on May 20, 2021;
  • Jose Sanchez-Morales, 45, of Hopewell, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Darryl D. Smith, 43, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Henry L. Raynor, 35, of Newport News, Va., was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • William A. Mustain, 68, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Luis A. Aguillon, 31, of Henrico, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Anthony B. Green, 32, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Updated 10/27/2021: Abdul N. Ahmadi, 37, of Fredericksburg, Va., was convicted of misdemeanor prostitution and received a $200 fine;
  • Keith M. Fletcher, 30, of Essex, Va., was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution;
  • Julian A. Jackson, 31, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution, use of a vehicle to promote prostitution, carrying a concealed weapon (third offense), distribution of certain drugs to persons under 18, possession of marijuana and obstruction of justice.

Editor’s notes

  • This article was updated on May 24, 2021, to reflect the charges against Mr. Kichannagari.
  • This article was updated on Oct. 27, 2021, to remove the names and photos of three people whose charges were dropped. The outcomes of the cases against Gregorio Q. Curuchich and Abdul N. Ahmadi were also updated.