A disturbing case that began with a tip from a national watchdog organization has led to criminal charges in Leesburg.
Last November, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted local police after a social media platform flagged an account suspected of containing child sexual abuse material. Leesburg detectives launched an investigation and found seven digital images that they say match the description of CSAM.
Police say the person behind the account was Penelope Colon, a 26-year-old woman who was living in Leesburg at the time the content was uploaded. Colon later moved to Augusta, Georgia.
She returned to Virginia earlier this month and was charged on June 18 with seven counts of possessing child sexual abuse material. Just two days later, Colon was released on a personal recognizance bond.
The Leesburg Police Department is asking anyone with information related to the possession, distribution, or production of CSAM to contact law enforcement or report anonymously through the CyberTipline at Report.CyberTipline.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST.
In a county like Loudoun, where families and community are at the center of daily life, cases like this are a grim reminder of how digital crimes can cross state lines and impact our own neighborhoods. Local law enforcement emphasizes the importance of public awareness and reporting in protecting children.
