HAGERSTOWN – Last week’s arrest of Hagerstown man in an undercover operation conducted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on charges of sexual solicitation of a minor was part of a larger initiative aimed at catching adults exploiting children online.
To implement the “sting” that resulted in the arrest of 35-year-old Joshua Andrew Mills, investigators from the digital investigation and forensics unit and criminal investigations unit posed as underage children on various social media apps and online chat platforms to engage with individuals attempting to exploit minors.
Mills was apprehended when he attempted to arrange an in-person meeting for illegal sexual contact, believing he was communicating with a minor. He is currently being held without bond at the Washington County Detention Center.
Sheriff’s officers said the case remains ongoing, and consequently they are unable to provide further details or discuss methods and strategies used in the sting operation to avoid compromising future investigations.
Addressing the importance of the arrest, Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Sgt. Carly Hose said, “This highlights the real dangers children face online. We’re committed to tracking down those who exploit vulnerable youth and will continue proactive operations to keep our community safe.”
Authorities have encouraged anyone with information about internet crimes involving children to contact the digital investigations and forensics unit at 240-313-2170.
This arrest is part of broader efforts by the sheriff’s office to combat internet crimes against children such as predation and exploitation, which have resulted in six arrests for sexual solicitation of minors in the 2024-25 period.
Nationally, the issue remains a significant concern despite data showing a drop in reported incidents over the last year. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports its CyberTipline and social platform data 29.2 million incidence of suspected child sexual exploitation in 2024, seven million fewer than the prior year.
The decline in reports is partly attributed to changes in the reporting practices of social media platforms Meta and Google regarding guidelines for removal of content, and the increased use of end-to-end encryption, which hinders detection efforts. Still, the national center receives about 50 daily reports flagged as time-sensitive, and identifies over 51,000 urgent cases involving children in imminent danger.
It saw a near 200 percent rise in “sextortion” cases, where offenders coerce teens into sending explicit content or money, driving dozens of boys to suicide nationally. Child sex trafficking reports are also up by more than half.
Advances in artificial intelligence further complicate efforts, since AI tools can be misused to create or alter explicit content. Incidents involving violent groups encouraging self-harm or abuse rose significantly.
Last year the CyberTipline processed 63 million files in 2024, including 28 million images and 33 million videos and shared 10 million files with relevant law enforcement.
