Honduran man in Virginia illegally now facing child pornography charges
SPRINGFIELD, Va. - Fairfax authorities have charged a man with multiple counts of child pornography, along with unlawful filming or photographing of minors.
Gherson Gonzales Hernandez, 24, faces ten counts related to child pornography and two counts of unlawful creation of videographic/still image of a minor, which is defined under Virginia code 18.2-386.1 as a person who knowingly and intentionally videotapes, photographs, or films any non-consenting person.
According to police, the unlawful filming charge is related to an August 2019 offense.
Gherson Gonzales Hernandez, 24, of Springfield, Virginia. Photo via Fairfax County Police Department
Arrest warrants obtained by FOX 5 on Friday state the warrants for the child pornography charges were issued Feb. 8, and they were connected to a Nov. 2023 offense. The warrants also list a Springfield home address for the suspect, though neighbors FOX 5 spoke with Friday did not recognize him.
On Friday, ERO Washington, D.C. spokesperson James Covington confirmed the suspect is a Honduran national and "unlawfully present."
Covington issued the following statement:
"Gherson Djorkaeff Gonzales-Hernandez is a 24-year-old unlawfully present Honduran national. He was arrested by Fairfax County Police Feb. 9, and charged with multiple crimes related to child sexual abuse material. ICE ERO Washington, D.C. lodged an immigration detainer against Gonzales-Hernandez with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center following his arrest Feb. 9. As part of our mission to identify and arrest removable noncitizens, ERO lodges immigration detainers against noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity and taken into custody by state or local law enforcement.
Detainers request that state or local law enforcement agencies maintain custody of the noncitizen for a period not to exceed 48 hours beyond the time the individual would otherwise be released, allowing ERO to assume custody for removal purposes in accordance with federal law.
Detainers are a critical public safety tool because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. They increase the safety of all parties involved – ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, the removable noncitizens, and the public – by allowing an arrest to be made in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large within the community. Since detainers result in the direct transfer of a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will reoffend.
Lack of cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officers means criminal noncitizens are released back into our communities with opportunity to reoffend before being apprehended by ERO.
ERO encourages our local partners to review their current policies which restrict information sharing and threaten public safety."
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Gonzales Hernadez is expected to be in court in April and May for the unlawful filming and pornography charges, respectively.