Top Story FRANKLIN COUNTY Franklin County man gets 15 years for online sex crimes LAURENCE HAMMACK The Roanoke Times Aug 6, 2025 Aug 6, 2025 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save From behind a computer screen in the basement of his Moneta home, Evan Strauss stirred widespread chaos and fear.kAmz?@H? 2D E96 #62A6C[ 96 H2D E96 =6256C @7 !FC82E@CJ[ 2? @?=:?6 @C82?:K2E:@? E92E A=2465 72=D6 h`` 42==D 23@FE D49@@= D9@@E:?8D 2?5 @E96C 5:D2DE6CD[ @FE65 :ED A6C46:G65 6?6>:6D 3J A@DE:?8 E96:C A6CD@?2= :?7@C>2E:@? @? E96 :?E6C?6E[ 2?5 6IE@CE65 H@>6? 2?5 8:C=D E@ DF3>:E D6IF2==J 6IA=:4:E A9@E@D 2?5 G:56@D @7 E96>D6=G6D E@ :ED >6>36CD]k^AmkAm“(6 92G6 6DD6?E:2==J 2 4C:>:?2= @C82?:K2E:@? E92E H2D E6CC@C:K:?8 A6@A=6 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[” pDD:DE2?E &]$] pEE@C?6J y2D@? $49677 D2:5]k^Am Strauss Western Virginia Regional Jail kAmqFE 369:?5 E96 @?=:?6 A6CD@?2 H2D 2? 2FE:DE:4 af\J62C\@=5 H:E9 D6G6C6 >6?E2= 2?5 56G6=@A>6?E2= 5:D@C56CD[ D@>6@?6 H9@ =:G65 H:E9 9:D A2C6?ED 3642FD6 96 4@F=5?’E 9@=5 2 ;@3 2E 2 72DE\7@@5 C6DE2FC2?E[ >2:?E2:? 2 32?< 244@F?E @C 56G6=@A 2 ?@C>2= D@4:2= =:76]k^Am People are also reading… Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Chip Sullivan, golfer and instructor 'loved by so many,' dies at 61 Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025 Kids invited to annual Cops and Bobbers event by Rocky Mount PD Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case Quadruple amputee cornhole player wanted for murder arrested in Albemarle County Volunteers needed for Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour How to vote early in Franklin County for Virginia redistricting amendment With election underway, court could have final say on redistricting | Special Report Franklin County proposes increasing real estate, meals taxes Roanoke police officer needlessly shot intellectually disabled man: lawsuit Virginia's proposed congressional districts and who is running | Special Report The future of fishing at Smith Mountain Lake could hinge on this decision Judge temporarily blocks Pentagon from branding AI firm Anthropic a supply chain risk kAm“#62A6C H2D 6G6CJE9:?8 tG2? H2D ?@E[” $EC2FDD’D 2EE@C?6J 6IA=2:?65]k^AmkAm“p?5 D@[ H96? tG2? =@8865 @? E@ 9:D 4@>AFE6C[ 96 D965 9:D 5:DEC6DD6D 2?5 EC2F>2 2?5 :?D64FC:E:6D W@C D@ 96 E9@F89EX 2?5 96 5@??65 E96 A6CD@?2 @7 “#62A6C[” E96 =6256C @7 2? @?=:?6 4@>>F?:EJ E92E D@H65 492@D — 3642FD6 :E H2D 4@@=[ 3642FD6 :E H2D 2 82>6[ 3642FD6 :E H2D?’E C62= =:76[” pDD:DE2?E !F3=:4 s676?56C q62EC:46 s:69= HC@E6 :? 4@FCE 5@4F>6?ED]k^Am kAm%96 EH@ H@C=5D >6E %9FCD52J :? #@2?@<6’D 7656C2= 4@FCE[ H96C6 $EC2FDD H2D D6?E6?465 E@ `d J62CD :? AC:D@? 7@C DE2=<:?8 2?5 A@DD6DD:@? @7 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J]k^Am kAmw:D 4J36CDE2=<:?8 2?5 @?=:?6 G:4E:>:K2E:@? @7 2 `f\J62C\@=5 8:C= 7C@> (J@>:?8 C6AC6D6?E ;FDE 2 D>2== A2CE @7 E96 24E:G:E:6D @7 !FC82E@CJ[ 56D4C:365 3J 2FE9@C:E:6D 2D 2 8C@FA E92E $EC2FDD 4C62E65 2?5 C2? 7C@> 9:D uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ 9@>6]k^Am kAm{2DE H66<[ $EC2FDD A=62565 8F:=EJ :? |2CJ=2?5’D 7656C2= 4@FCE E@ 492C86D @7 4@?DA:C24J[ 4J36CDE2=<:?8[ 2?5 >2<:?8 :?E6CDE2E6 E9C62ED E@ 52>286 @C 56DEC@J 3F:=5:?8D 3J 7:C6 @C 6IA=@D:G6D]k^Am kAmx? 2 AC24E:46 <?@H? 2D “DH2EE:?8[” $EC2FDD 42==65 A@=:46 :? }6H2C<[ s6=2H2C6[ 2?5 4=2:>65 E@ 92G6 962C5 D9@ED 7:C65 :? 2 9:89 D49@@= 92==H2J] p D64@?5 !FC82E@CJ >6>36C 42==65 h`` D64@?5D =2E6C 2?5 E9C62E6?65 E@ D9@@E 2 E62496C 2?5 DEF56?ED 2E }6H2C< w:89 $49@@=]k^AmkAm%96 D49@@= H2D A=2465 @? =@4<5@H? F?E:= :E H2D 56E6C>:?65 E92E E96 E9C62ED H6C6 2 9@2I] {2E6C E92E 52J[ !FC82E@CJ >6>36CD 3@2DE65 @?=:?6 2?5 A@DE65 :>286D 7C@> ?6HD 4@G6C286 @7 E96 6G6?E]k^Am kAm$:>:=2C 5:DEFC32?46D 2EEC:3FE65 E@ $EC2FDD’D 8C@FA 92AA6?65 2E 2 42D:?@ :? r@=F>3FD[ ~9:@[ 2? 2:CA@CE :? p=32?J[ }6H *@C<[ 2 >@3:=6 9@>6 :? s@E92?[ p=232>2[ 2?5 2 9:89 D49@@= :? q@DE@?] %96 42==6CD @3D4FC65 E96:C :56?E:E:6D 3J FD:?8 '@:46 @G6C x?E6C?6E !C@E@4@= D6CG:46D]k^Am kAm$EC2FDD[ H9@ H2D 492C865 2=@?8 H:E9 EH@ `h\J62C\@=5 >6? 7C@> r@=F>3FD 2?5 w286CDE@H?[ |2CJ=2?5[ :D D4965F=65 E@ 36 D6?E6?465 }@G] e :? &]$] s:DEC:4E r@FCE :? q2=E:>@C6]k^Am kAmpE 9:D 962C:?8 %9FCD52J :? #@2?@<6[ &]$] s:DEC:4E yF586 t=:K236E9 s:==@? DE@AA65 D9@CE @7 :>A@D:?8 E96 ad J62CD D@F89E 3J 7656C2= AC@D64FE@CD[ 4:E:?8 $EC2FDD’D =:76E:>6 DECF88=6 H:E9 2FE:D>[ 2?I:6EJ[ 56AC6DD:@? 2?5 56G6=@A>6?E2= AC@3=6>D]k^Am kAm}68=64E65 2E 2? 62C=J 286[ $EC2FDD H2D 25@AE65 3J 42C:?8 7@DE6C A2C6?ED] qFE DE2CE:?8 2E 286 a[ 96 H2D AC6D4C:365 2 “=2F?5CJ =:DE” @7 >65:42E:@?D 7@C 5:D@C56CD E92E 4@?E:?F65 E@ A=28F6 9:>[ s:69= HC@E6 :? 2 D6?E6?4:?8 >6>@C2?5F>]k^Am kAms6DA:E6 9:D EC@F3=6D[ $EC2FDD H2D 23=6 E@ 8C25F2E6 7C@> 9:89 D49@@= H:E9 2 DA64:2= 65F42E:@? 568C66]k^AmkAm“&?7@CEF?2E6=J[ 27E6C 8C25F2E:@?[ tG2?’D =:76 DE2==65[” E96 C6A@CE C625] “w6 =:G65 H:E9 9:D A2C6?ED 2D 2? 25F=E[ 3FE H2D G6CJ >F49 DE:== 2 49:=5]”k^AmkAmx? }@G6>36C a_ab[ $EC2FDD >6E @?=:?6 2 8:C= 7C@> (J@>:?8[ <?@H:?8 E92E D96 H2D @?=J `f 2?5 H2D DF776C:?8 7C@> >6?E2= 962=E9 :DDF6D[ AC@D64FE@CD D2:5] “(:E9:? 2 >2EE6C @7 52JD[ |C] $EC2FDD 3642>6 4@?EC@==:?8 2?5 23FD:G6[” $49677 HC@E6 :? 4@FCE A2A6CD]k^Am kAm$EC2FDD 4J36CDE2=<65 E96 8:C= 2?5 >256 E9C62ED 282:?DE 96C 2?5 96C 72>:=J] w6 2=D@ 5:C64E65 96C E@ 4FE 96CD6=7 2?5 42CG6 9:D “#62A6C” >@?:<6C @?E@ 96C E9:89[ 7@C465 96C E@ D6?5 9:> ?F56 A9@E@8C2A9D @7 96CD6=7[ 2?5 D64C6E=J G:56@E2A65 96C D6IF2= 24E:G:E:6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 4@FCE C64@C5D]k^Am kAm(:E9 9:D @H? >6?E2= AC@3=6>D[ $EC2FDD “4@F=5 F?56CDE2?5 H92E D96 H2D 8@:?8 E9C@F89[” $49677 D2:5] “qFE C2E96C E92? 6>A2E9:K6[ 96 E@@< 25G2?E286 @7 E9@D6 GF=?6C23:=:E:6D]”k^AmkAmx? 2 DE2E6>6?E E@ s:==@? 367@C6 96 H2D D6?E6?465[ $EC2FDD 2A@=@8:K65 E@ E96 G:4E:> 2?5 96C 72>:=J 2?5 2446AE65 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 7@C 9:D 24E:@?D] “%96 4@>AFE6C H2D 2? 6D42A6 7C@> C62= =:76[” 96 D2:5] “x 4@F=5 36 D@>6@?6 6=D6]”k^Am kAm$EC2FDD D2:5 96 9@A65 E@ 86E EC62E>6?E :? AC:D@? 2?5 D@>652J C6EFC? 9@>6] “x ;FDE H2?E E@ 36 2 ?@C>2= A6CD@? :? D@4:6EJ[” 96 D2:5]k^AmkAmt2C=:6C :? E96 AC@4665:?8[ $49677 56D4C:365 $EC2FDD’D 4@?5F4E 2D 6G:=[ 5C2H:?8 E9:D C6DA@?D6 7C@> s:69= :? 96C 4=@D:?8 2C8F>6?EDik^AmkAm“s6DA:E6 H92E E96 8@G6C?>6?E :D ECJ:?8 E@ 4=2:>[ E96C6 :D ?@ 56G:= @? @?6 D:56 2?5 2?86= @? E96 @E96C D:56] %96C6 2C6 D9256D @7 8C6J[” D96 D2:5] “(6 5@?’E E9C@H D@>6@?6 :? AC:D@? 7@C E96 C6DE @7 E96:C 25F=E =:76 3642FD6 E96J 92G6 >6?E2= 962=E9 5:D@C56CD]”k^Am Laurence Hammack (540) 981-3239laurence.hammack@roanoke.com 0 comments Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Authorities found the body of Charles Arthur Smith Jr. on March 17, after he had been reported missing. Watch Now: Related Video A1 Minute! March 28, 2025: Week in Virginia | A1 Minute A1 Minute! March 25, 2026: Ram’s sports investment; Dr. Winn moves onto Philadelphia; Cannabis laws may change A1 Minute! March 25, 2026: Ram’s sports investment; Dr. Winn moves onto Philadelphia; Cannabis laws may change A1 Minute! March 23, 2026: Economic forecast; Lego construction continues; CarMax Park dining guide | A1 Minute A1 Minute! March 23, 2026: Economic forecast; Lego construction continues; CarMax Park dining guide | A1 Minute Kids In the US More Likely To Die By Guns Than Anything Else Kids In the US More Likely To Die By Guns Than Anything Else
Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Authorities found the body of Charles Arthur Smith Jr. on March 17, after he had been reported missing.
A1 Minute! March 25, 2026: Ram’s sports investment; Dr. Winn moves onto Philadelphia; Cannabis laws may change
A1 Minute! March 25, 2026: Ram’s sports investment; Dr. Winn moves onto Philadelphia; Cannabis laws may change
A1 Minute! March 23, 2026: Economic forecast; Lego construction continues; CarMax Park dining guide | A1 Minute
A1 Minute! March 23, 2026: Economic forecast; Lego construction continues; CarMax Park dining guide | A1 Minute
