Teacher Indicted on Child Pornography Charges
Robert Fenn, 27, of Herndon, was indicted by a federal grand jury accused of receiving and possessing child pornography. Fenn taught at Poplar Tree Elementary School in Chantilly prior to his arrest on related state charges in June 2012.
Neil H. MacBride, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John P. Torres, special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C.; and Lt. Colonel James A. Morris, acting Fairfax County chief of police, made the announcement after the indictment was returned.
Fenn was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, if convicted.
According to the indictment and other court records, Fenn was allegedly identified through an international initiative named Operation Gondola, which originated with Italian law enforcement investigating a website offering access to child pornographic images and/or video files identified by the domain name “liberalmorality.com.” The website was hosted in the United States and HSI obtained Internet records showing each Internet account that accessed the website and the specific images each account accessed.
Court records allege that Fenn was among those who accessed this website and a subsequent search of his computer found numerous videos and images of children enduring various forms of sexual abuse. The indictment specifically alleges that Fenn received child pornography from March 3, 2012 through May 6, 2012, and was found to have possessed child pornography on June 12, 2012.
This case was investigated by HSI’s Child Exploitation Section in the Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Stroke and Osteoporosis Screenings Coming to Herndon
Residents living in and around the Herndon can be screened to reduce their risk of having a stroke or bone fracture. St. Joseph's Catholic Church will host Life Line Screening on Dec. 13. The site is located at 750 Peachtree Street in Herndon. Four key points every person needs to know:
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of permanent disability;
80 percent of stroke victims had no apparent warning signs prior to their stroke;
Preventive ultrasound screenings can help you avoid a stroke;
Screenings are fast, noninvasive, painless, affordable and convenient.
Screenings identify potential cardiovascular conditions such as blocked arteries and irregular heart rhythm, abdominal aortic aneurysms and hardening of the arteries in the legs, which is a strong predictor of heart disease. A bone density screening to assess osteoporosis risk is also offered and is appropriate for both men and women.
Packages start at $149. All five screenings take 60-90 minutes to complete. For more information regarding the screenings or to schedule an appointment, call 1-877-237-1287 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com. Pre-registration is required.