A 19-year-old man who volunteered at a summer camp in Northern Virginia is accused of propositioning a boy who went to the camp and sending him lewd photos. Police believe there may be additional victims.
Richard Hearns, of Ashburn, was charged on Friday with proposing a sexual act to a victim under age 15 using a communication system, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.
Hearns met the boy when he volunteered at the Oak Grove Baptist Church summer camp in Sterling during summer 2016. After camp had ended, he allegedly used Snapchat to send the boy photos of his genitals, court documents say.
The boy recently reported Hearns, Sheriff Michael Chapman said.
"The fact that he came back to be part of the camp again this summer is I think what prompted the concern," he said. "
Hearns' family declined to comment on the charge. His attorney has not yet been appointed.
"We -- at Oak Grove Baptist Church -- are saddened by the recent allegations which have been made," the church said in a statement. "We take these matters very seriously, which is why we alerted the proper authorities. The matter is in the hands of the police, and we will continue to cooperate fully."
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Hearns no longer is involved at the camp.
The detectives in the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spend most of their time now tracking sex crimes, Chapman said.
Hearns graduated from Briar Woods High School in 2016. His Facebook page says he attended Virginia Tech.
The sheriff's office is working on the case with Loudoun County Child Protective Services.
Chapman advised parents to monitor their children's cellphones and electronic devices to make sure no one is preying on them.
Anyone with information for police is asked to call 703-777-0475.
Hearns is being held without bond.
CORRECTION (Aug. 1, 2017, 4:15 p.m.): An earlier version of this article incorrectly said the alleged victim was a girl. The alleged victim is a boy, court documents say.
Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.
