Why was Richard Berkowitz arrested?
Richard Joseph Berkowitz, 36, of Fairfax, Virginia, United States has been employed with the Fairfax County Public Schools since 2013. He taught health and physical education at Falls Church High School in West Falls Church, Fairfax County, Virginia.
On January 27, 2025, the Fairfax County Police Department launched an operation targeting online predators. As part of the operation, detectives with the child exploitation unit of the department’s Major Crimes Bureau posed as children online to identify individuals looking to solicit illegal sex acts from minors.
According to the FCPD, Berkowitz and six other men initiated explicit conversations with the detectives posing as children. In some cases, the suspects sent explicit images of themselves and asked for explicit images in return.
On January 29, 2025, Berkowitz was arrested. Since the operation was still ongoing, Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent Michelle Reid was asked to hold off on announcing the Falls Church High School teacher’s arrest.
On February 11, 2025, the FCPD announced the arrest of Berkowitz and six other men. Collectively, the seven suspects face a total of 25 felony charges.
In particular, Berkowitz was charged with two counts of production of child sexual abuse material and four counts of solicitation of a minor. Right after his arrest, he was suspended from the Fairfax County Public School system.
CONAN Daily 