The Fredericksburg Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with a recent series of reported sexual assaults along the Canal Path and Heritage Trail over the past two weeks.
Hien Dinh, 23, of Stafford County was arrested and charged with three counts of felony sexual battery, 3rd or subsequent offense within a 10-year period, according to a Tuesday afternoon press release. Dinh is currently held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
According to the statement, law enforcement received a number of tips from the community following its March 25th news release, including one from a retired northern Virginia investigator, and that officers also collected evidence, analyzed surveillance footage and pursued other investigated leads, according to the department.
With the help of ALPR (automatic license plate reader) cameras, Lead Investigator Detective M. Boyle identified Dinh as a suspect after Flock cameras flagged his vehicle entering the City on each date of the reported assaults.
Law enforcement was alerted to Dinh’s presence again when his vehicle was flagged by ALPR cameras entering Fredericksburg this past Thursday, March 26th.
On that evening, officers conducted a traffic stop on Dinh near the Heritage Trail on Bridgewater Street, where Detective Boyle responded to the scene and seized the suspect’s vehicle and cell phone after seeking a search warrant, the press release stated.
Additional warrants were executed at Dinh’s home on Tuesday, with officers seizing electronic devices, clothing items and other evidence.
In the press release, Fredericksburg Police Chief Betsy Mason spoke highly of her staff and their quick work in resolving the case.
“I want to commend our detectives and patrol officers for their swift and thorough work in this case,” said Chief Mason.
“Their coordination, use of technology, and dedication to pursuing every lead were instrumental in identifying and apprehending this suspect. I also want to thank members of our community who came forward with information that assisted in this investigation.”
The department also acknowledged the efforts of the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office in their assistance in the case.
