Local man charged with child sexual abuses that allegedly occurred over 40 years ago

A Fredericksburg area man has been charged with two felony offenses in connection with alleged child sexual assaults more than 40 years ago in Fairfax County.

Edward Shelton, 81, is charged with two counts of taking indecent liberties with a child under the age of 14. He turned himself in to the Stafford Sheriff's Office on Thursday and was still in the Rappahannock Regional Jail as of Friday.

According to a news release from the Fairfax County Police Department, police took a report from the alleged victim on June 7. The woman reported that as a child, she was sexually assaulted multiple times by Shelton between 1980 and 1983 at a horse farm in the Great Falls area of the county.

Police said Shelton worked as a horse farrier on various horse farms throughout Northern Virginia and Stafford during that time period.

The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who may have been a victim of the suspect or have information about related crimes to call the Major Crimes Bureau at 703/246-7800 and choose Option 4. Any victims will receive appropriate assistance from the department's Victim Services Division, the release states.

Shelton will eventually be transferred to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, police said.

Keith Epps:

& Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.

Covers crime for Fredericksburg region