The Fredericksburg Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with a series of sexual assaults reported along the Canal Path and Heritage Trail in March.
On March 19, officers received a report of a sexual battery that occurred along the Canal Path. Two additional incidents were reported on March 23 and March 25 along the Heritage Trail.
Following a public news release on March 25, investigators received multiple tips from the community, including a critical tip from a retired northern Virginia investigator. In the days following the assaults, a team of investigators worked tirelessly to collect evidence, analyze surveillance footage, and pursue investigative leads.
Lead investigator Detective M. Boyle identified Hien Dinh, 23, of Stafford County, as a suspect. Using automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, detectives determined that Dinh’s vehicle entered the city on each date an assault occurred.
On the evening of March 26, an ALPR alert notified law enforcement that Dinh’s vehicle had entered the city of Fredericksburg. Officers conducted a traffic stop on Bridgewater Street near the Heritage Trail shortly afterward. Boyle responded to the scene, and the vehicle and a cell phone were seized pursuant to a search warrant.
Additional search warrants were executed at the suspect’s residence on March 31, resulting in the seizure of electronic devices, clothing items, and other related evidence.
On March 31, Dinh was arrested and charged with three counts of felony sexual battery, 3rd or subsequent offense within a 10-year period.
Hien is currently being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional.
“I want to commend our detectives and patrol officers for their swift and thorough work in this case,” said Chief Betsy 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.”
