Photo: Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office
A Virginia Beach pastor was among 17 men arrested in connection to a sting run by Chesterfield Police Special Victims Detectives in which the suspects "believed they were soliciting sex from minors through online and social media platforms."
WTKR reports John D. Blanchard, 51, was the oldest suspect charged with felony solicitation of prostitution in relation to the investigation. Blanchard, who is listed as a pastor on the website for Rock Church International off Kempsville Road, was also charged with use of a vehicle to promote prostitution, as was the case for most of the other suspects, who ranged from ages 24 to 51.
"During the two-day operation, detectives intercepted suspects who believed they were soliciting sex from minors through online and social media platforms," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson wrote in an email to WTKR. "[The men] communicated with people they believed to be underage members of our community and arranged to meet them at a location to have sexual relations. When the suspects came to the location, they were met by police and arrested."
Police released the following information about the suspects arrested to WTKR:
- John D. Blanchard, 51, of Virginia Beach, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Carlos Angel-Valesquez, 27, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution
- Jonathan M. Austin, 36, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Daniel E. Boyd Jr., 38, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Nelson D.R. Dudley, 34, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- James D. Eades, 42, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Michael C. Hall, 50, of Henrico, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Ricardo A. Hinojosa Gonzalez, 43, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution
- Christopher P. Kendrick, 50, of Louisa, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Franklin E. Martinez-Parada, 39, of Grasonville, Maryland, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Gabriel Medrano Flores, 49, of Henrico, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Efren Mojica Yepiz, 30, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Joshua P. Morris, 28, of Prince George, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Craig T. Moulden, 27, of Chesterfield, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Danzel M. Roland, 30, of Petersburg, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice, felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
- Sergio A. Terceros Zambrana, 24, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution
- Taurean R. Thomas, 26, of Richmond, was arrested and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution
WTKR said Rock Church it didn't have enough information to make a statement about Blanchard's arrest when reached for comment at the time of publication on Monday (November 1).