Area men are charged with sex offenses
Sex crime charges for local men stem from sting at Prince William park
BY ELLEN BILTZ
Date published: 6/19/2008
BY ELLEN BILTZ
Eight men were arrested in Prince William County for sex charges after Locust Shade Park was staked out for being a meeting place for men to share sexual encounters, police said yesterday.
The arrests and investigation have been ongoing since the beginning of May, and six of the men charged are from the Fredericksburg area.
Sharon Richardson, public information specialist for the Prince William County Police Department, said undercover officers from the Special Crimes Unit went into the park after several citizen complaints.
She said the men are accused of frequenting the park to solicit each other for sex. The charges they are facing vary from solicitation for crimes against nature to obscene sexual display.
All of the men charged were arrested in daylight hours on one of three specific dates: May 1, May 8 or June 12, Richardson said.
She said that the crime unit has made some arrests, but it will continue to patrol the park.
"The goal is to urge people to act responsibly and not do these kinds of acts in public," she said.
A Web site that lists meeting places for people looking for sexual encounters includes the park as a place to meet partners.
Richardson said the men who are charged with inappropriate acts at the park were not targeting any children, only other consenting adults.
She said, however, that there was a concern because Locust Shade Park is very family-oriented.
It is often used by Scout troops, families who fish in the lake and others who come to enjoy the public space, she said.
"The department was concerned for the kids and families who want to enjoy the park," she said.
All of the men arrested were taken to the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center and some have posted bond, Richardson said.
The men charged are:
Charles R. Randall, 57, of Fredericksburg, is charged with solicitation for crimes against nature; Paul A. Cupka Jr., 50, of Stafford, charged with obscene sexual display and indecent exposure; Edwin G. Lowther, 41, of Lake Ridge, is charged with obscene sexual display and indecent exposure; Charles D. Ross, 44, of Stafford, is charged with solicitation for crimes against nature, indecent exposure and obscene sexual display.
Also, William M. Stewart, 50, of Stafford, is charged with solicitation for crimes against nature; David W. Ford, 45, of Dumfries, is charged with solicitation for crimes against nature, obscene sexual display and indecent exposure;
Also, James M. Anderson, 51, of Stafford, is charged with criminal solicitation, indecent exposure and obscene sexual display; William D. Jones, 45, of Stafford, is charged with criminal solicitation, indecent exposure and obscene sexual display.
Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com
Date published: 6/19/2008
Most recent reader comments:
At Least they do something here
(posted by
KWilliam
, June 21, 2008 10:12 pm)
Up in Fairfax and other areas north they just ignore it. We were shocked with grandkids in Fairfax County Park to see men cruising in and out of bathroom returning to sit in car and then back into bathroom. Cops won't respond. Every time anyone speaks up on this issue, they are called bashing. What happened to decency? We are not talking about just a chat in bathroom but men engaging in sex. How can people here defend that?
That being said...
(posted by
Al
, June 21, 2008 8:41 pm)
I don't feel that public parks with playgrounds are the appropriate place to be "cruising" for sex regardless of orientation. Arresting people who actually engage in public sex or expose themselves seems fairly reasonable to me. That truly IS criminal behavior and not something I want to run into while taking my little ones out to play.
Straight guys are worse!
(posted by
Al
, June 21, 2008 8:36 pm)
I know from first hand experience that straight men try to pick up women in public all the time and some of them offer some seriously nasty sex acts. Never saw one get arrested for it, more's the pity. I agree that anyone who engages in sex acts in public should be cited (teenagers making out beware). However, if the cops are setting people up for this they need to send a pretty female officer down to a construction site. They'd have plenty of men to arrest then.
Still taking my kid into the restroom
(posted by
fugyou
, June 21, 2008 10:06 am)
Look, this has nothing to do with being gay and I'm very proud to say I am all for gay rights, including marriage. These guys are just perverts, PERIOD. I tried taking my son to Old Mill park a couple years ago (the LAST time) and was apalled at the lone men in vehicles parked outside the restroom area. I feel for their families too...unaware what their husbands and fathers are out doing in public parks. It's too bad these guys don't have the same pity for their families that even a stranger would.Sad.
staffmom
(posted by
imready
, June 21, 2008 8:28 am)
You said you are crushed for the "families of these men." Well if these "guys" had families that means they "CHOSE" to go to that park and hang around seeking sex from other homosexuals. Cause they sure as hell CHOSE to get married and have families. Be careful, Fredericksburg homosexuals will tell you they don't have a CHOICE in who they are. LOL.
|
Star Directory
