Police have arrested a man they say lured a 15-year-old girl away from her home.
An officer was called to the girl's home Sunday about 9:30 p.m., after it was reported that she had ran away from home. The officer learned the girl had been in the company of a 27-year-old Woodbridge man, whom she met on the popular social media site, Facebook, said Prince William police spokeswoman 1st Sgt. Kim Chinn.
The two had communicated on the site for several months, said Chinn.
An investigation is ongoing, but so far the police have charged Joshua James Knoll, of 1264 Bell View Road #203, with one count of use of a communication device to facilitate certain offenses involving children. Chinn said the offense is considered a felony.
Kroll is being held on $15,000 bond. His court date has not been set.
Just last week, a Dale City middle school teacher was charged with sending improper text messages to one student and with taking indecent liberties with another.
Police said 32-year-old Shannon Arnold Patterson, of Woodbridge, turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Investigators said Patterson sent the text messages to a 15-year-old boy and student of Beville Middle School, where Patterson teaches language arts.
Another alleged victim, another 15-year-old male student at the school, claimed Patterson took indecent liberties with him, police said.
None of the inappropriate actions took place on school grounds, stated a Prince William police spokeswoman.
Patterson remains listed as a youth ministry leader for the United Faith Christian Ministry, in Stafford County. A Prince William County Public Schools spokesman said he has worked for the school system since 2000.
School resumes in Prince William County on Sept. 8. School officials said they would notify parents of the arrest, but are cautious not to pass judgment until the legal process has taken its course.
Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.
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