7 Indicted On Internet Predator Charges

Seven people have been indicted on various charges related to their actions on the internet aimed at who they believed were underage children in Spotsylvania County, Capt. Jeff Pearce, Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office spokesperson, said.

The suspects are:

• Sawn Lubell, 26, of Watha, N.C.
• Nicholas Woods, 23, of Monroe, Va.
• Jerry Reese, 56, of Ringold, Va.
• Stephen Danowski, 44, of Loudoun County, Va. 
• Phillip Locker, 27, of Petersburg, Va.
• Haden Conrad, 32, of Chesapeake, Va.
• Patrick Darlington, 40, of Strasburg, Va.

"The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division - Cyber Investigative Unit has been quietly working to identify internet predators who were stalking children in web chat rooms and other sites for the purpose of luring the victims into lewd encounters or worse," Pearce said in a press release.  He said the seven suspects were identified and investigated during the past several months.

"These suspects pose a serious threat to our young people," Sheriff Roger Harris said. "The Cyber Investigative Unit represents our continued commitment to keeping the citizens of our community safe from such individuals.

"Several more investigations are continuing and detectives plan to bring more indictments for charges ranging from Distribution of Child Pornography to Felony Use of a Communication Device to commit certain offenses," Pearce said.