Maryland Man Convicted of Online Solicitation Following Virginia Undercover Operation
State of Virginia - A Maryland man was found guilty of online solicitation following an undercover law enforcement operation in Virginia. On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, a Rockingham County Virginia Circuit Court jury convicted 41-year-old Justin Craig Anthony of Williamsport, Maryland, on two counts of online solicitation of a person he believed to be a minor.
The conviction stems from a proactive online investigation conducted by the Northern Virginia Metro D.C. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The operation took place between March 4, 2024, and March 6, 2024, in Rockingham County.
During the investigation, Anthony communicated with a Virginia State Police special agent operating an undercover persona of a 13-year-old female. He proposed that the persona expose herself and engage in sexual acts.
This conduct violated Virginia code 18.2-374.3, which prohibits the use of communication systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children. Anthony was subsequently arrested on May 21, 2024.
At the time of the 2024 offenses, Anthony was classified as a convicted Tier 1 sex offender. He was serving supervised probation in Maryland for prior child pornography convictions.
The prosecution was handled by the Rockingham Commonwealth Attorney's Office, which is a member of the ICAC Task Force. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 22, 2026.
"The commonwealth appreciates the hard work and dedication of the Virginia State Police and the NOVA/DC ICAC Task Force in the continuing mission of bringing child sexual exploitation offenders to justice," said Alycia M. P. Eldridge, Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg. "The jury verdicts of guilty handed down in this case ensure accountability for the defendant and safety for the community."
Authorities urge the public to report suspected child abuse or exploitation. Information can be submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) online at report.cybertip.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
