Christopher Dunkes
© police handoutChristopher Dunkes, Montgomery County Police Officer and pervert.
Along with six other alleged pedophiles, a Maryland cop was arrested this week after using Craigslist and social media apps in an attempt to have sex with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old girl. Apprehended in the online sex sting, the Maryland cop and six other defendants face charges ranging from solicitation of prostitution to using a communication device to facilitate certain offense against children.

On June 6, the Prince William County Police Department began conducting a week-long operation using undercover cops with underage social media profiles in an attempt to deter crimes involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Although six of the suspects lived in Virginia, detectives discovered that a seventh suspect lived in Maryland and was a 2-year veteran with the Montgomery County Police Department.

"During this operation, undercover detectives used social media and an undisclosed online site where they posed as underage juveniles," Prince William police wrote in a recent statement. "Male suspects contacted the undercover detectives and, during the course of communications, solicited sexual or indecent acts. These conversations involving the accused parties took place through electronic means. In each of the incidents, the suspect made arrangements to meet the undercover detective at a public location in Prince William County. Once there, detectives arrested the individual without incident."

After joining the Montgomery police in February 2014, Patrolman Christopher Dunkes allegedly answered a Craigslist ad last week from an undercover Prince William cop posing as a 15-year-old girl. According to court documents, Dunkes emailed and texted the undercover cop while proposing to engage in oral sex and requesting to meet in his car.

Expecting to meet the 15-year-old girl at a Target in Prince William County, Dunkes was immediately arrested without incident. Following Dunkes' arrest, Montgomery police Captain Paul Starks announced that Dunkes has been suspended without pay.

"We are cooperating with the investigation," Capt. Starks stated. "Our internal affairs division is communicating with Prince William County police."

Charged in Virginia with three counts of using a communication device to facilitate offenses with juveniles, Dunkes is being held without bond in the Prince William County Adult Detention Center. His court date is scheduled for July 14.

Besides Dunkes, six Virginia residents, including Jeffrey Dimond, Jordan Kolbinskie, David Lee Mathes, and Chad Warner, were also swept up in the online sting and charged with multiple counts of using a communication device to facilitate offenses with juveniles. In addition to those charges, Steven Castillo was charged with one count of attempted indecent liberties, while Curtis Jenkins also faces one count each of solicitation of prostitution and using a vehicle to promote prostitution.

Tasked with protecting and serving innocent children, Dunkes mistakenly contacted an undercover cop on Craigslist and drove to another state in an attempt to engage in sexual acts with a minor. Although the Prince William police conducted the recent online sting in an attempt to deter sexual predators, they ended up catching a fellow officer.