Virginia man arrested for decades-long sexual assault – NBC4 Washington

A Fredericksburg man is accused of crimes he allegedly committed over 40 years ago.

According to Fairfax County police, a victim came forward in June and said she had been sexually abused multiple times at a horse farm in Great Falls.

News4 spoke to Stephanie, one of the victims, and she says she is simply asking for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

“I just want the victims to know that it may not be too late and that they have lived with this their whole lives,” she said.

According to Fairfax County police, 81-year-old Edward Shelton is now facing two counts of indecent conduct.

In June, according to Fairfax County investigators, a witness told officers that she was sexually abused several times by a man on a horse farm in Great Falls between 1980 and 1983.

Investigators said they found that Shelton worked as a farrier on several horse farms in Northern Virginia.

Fairfax County police said they later identified Shelton as a suspect.

“You feel like you’re the only one, nobody knows, nobody will understand,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie says she was sexually abused between the ages of 11 and 13.

She hopes her decision to come forward will encourage other victims to do the same.

“I was shocked that my case didn't come too late, and I hope that many – and I'm sure there are more – victims of my abuser will come forward,” Stephanie said. “Like I said, even if one of them looks at it and says, 'Oh, they finally caught him,' that makes me happy.”

Fairfax County Police are asking any other victims to come forward in this case.