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Naked Madman Accused of Harassing Women on Virginia Hiking Trail Wanted in New York

A naked madman who has been harassing women and girls along a Virginia hiking trail is also wanted for multiple charges in New York.

Juan Alfaro Rodriguez, 42, was arrested after being suspected in 21 cases of assault and indecent exposure that took place in Fairfax County and the city of Herdon beginning on July 15. The incidents all happened on the 45-mile Washington and Old Dominion Trail.

Since his arrest, police have discovered that Alfaro Rodriguez is also wanted for attempted rape and sexual assault charges in Suffolk County, New York. Virginia law enforcement will eventually extradite Alfaro Rodriguez back to New York to face trial for those crimes.

“Over the last two months, a predator victimized over a dozen people and shook an entire community. There was no rape in these cases,” Fairfax County police Lt. Ryan Lazisky said during a press conference on Sept. 12. “But he did assault victims … He does have similar motives, and he does have an extensive history.” 

Man Accused of Assaulting Women on Virginia Hiking Trail Facing Multiple Charges

Alfaro Rodriguez had been wanted by New York police for over a year. However, officers believe he has been living in Virginia since January. Some investigations in the latter are still ongoing. But he’s currently facing three counts of incident exposure and two counts of obscene sexual display and sexual battery.

“It’s important to note that there is still significant investigative work to be done in order to ensure successful prosecution of this subject. A police-to-community partnership based on trust must always exist in order for us to help keep our community safe. We cannot do it without your help,” said Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard. “And we appreciate all of the information you have provided us in order to ensure we have safely put a predator behind bars.” 

An incident from last month is what finally led to the suspect’s arrest. On Aug. 26, police responded to a report that a man had assaulted a jogger on the hiking trail before fleeing. After reviewing footage from a nearby resident’s backyard camera that showed a man fitting the description.

The U.S. Marshals Service caught wind of the case and contacted local police saying they had information linking the suspect to out-of-state cases.

Eventually, tips came in from other women who had seen the man on the trail, which helped police apprehend Alfaro Rodriguez. Once he was in custody, another victim who had not reported her assault came forward. She gave investigators a close-up cellphone video of her incident that lead to positive identification.