Crime & Safety

Police: Arlington Man Took Nude Photos, Videos of Exchange Student

Spokesman: Police working with victim to build case against her host father.

A 16-year-old foreign exchange student was recently surprised to find out her "host father" in Arlington had been taking nude photos and video of her, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

The girl, from Germany, lived in Arlington for the 2011-12 school year. Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck would not say which high school she attended.

Last week, the girl was getting ready to leave to go back to her home country, and her host father suggested she give her friends pictures of all of them together, Sternbeck said. He had taken pictures of the girl and her friends over the course of the year, so she agreed.

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The girl took a USB drive with photos to a local pharmacy to have prints made last week, Sternbeck said Tuesday.

"Little did he know that he gave her the wrong USB drive," Sternbeck said. "So, when she goes to get the developed photos, she discovers nude pictures of herself."

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The pictures and videos included shots of the girl taken through her window from outside the home in the 2800 block of North Beechwood Circle and images taken of her while she was sleeping, Sternbeck said. The home is in the Donaldson Run community near Potomac Overlook Park.

The man, who police would only describe as being in his 60s, is married.

His wife did not know about the photos, Sternbeck 

No one has been charged yet in this incident.

"The victim is currently back in her native country, and so communication with her is very limited at this time," Sternbeck said. "We are still working with the victim and building the case."


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