A Berkeley Springs man was among three men charged on Tuesday, June 25 in a Maryland investigation into the sexual solicitation of minors.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday their Digital Investigations & Forensics Unit, aided by the Criminal Investigations Unit, conducted an operation that sought out human trafficking offenders.
The operation focused on internet-based chats “targeting adults who seek out children for sex.”
Jeremy Eric Winfield, Jr., 29, of Harrison Avenue in Berkeley Springs was charged with felony sexual solicitation of a minor. Also charged were Roy Charles Babylon, Jr., 35, of Brunswick, Md. and Christopher Allen Long, 39, of Shippensburg, Pa.
“The underage chat operations group utilized various social media platforms via covert chats and undercover law enforcement officers to chat with and meet up with those adults who solicit sex from children,” police officials said in their press release.
Police coordinated multiple internet-based contacts and in-person meet-ups as part of their operation.
Winfield, Jr., Babylon, Jr., and Long are currently being held without bond at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.
Winfield is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Washington County District Court on July 24, according to online court records.
Police said the investigation was supported in part by the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) supplies grant funding and strategic assistance to MCIN member sites. These resources enable the identification, disruption, and dismantling of criminal organizations through enhanced inter-agency collaboration and data sharing.
