Concerns Arise as Prolific Offender Misuses Gender Identity in Virginia

A notorious sex offender has come under scrutiny in Virginia for allegedly exposing himself to women and children in girls’ locker rooms at public schools and community centers. This troubling case involves Richard Cox, a 58-year-old individual who claims to be a transgender woman.

Cox appeared in Arlington court on Thursday, where he repeatedly asserted his identity as a woman and demanded the prosecutor cease misgendering him. The judge, however, refused this request, referencing the testimony of multiple witnesses who reported seeing him exposed in public spaces.

Reports indicate that Cox has a criminal history spanning over 30 years, with numerous sex crimes on his record. In one incident, he allegedly spied on women while naked in changing rooms at a high school that permits individuals to use facilities corresponding to their self-identified gender.

In a particularly alarming episode, a mother reported that she and her 5-year-old daughter entered a public women’s locker room at a school after a swim class, only to find Cox touching himself while nude in a shower stall. This incident was documented by WJLA.

Another witness, a mother with two young daughters aged 5 and 6, testified to encountering Cox naked in the girls’ locker room at the Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center during a gymnastics class. A 17-year-old lifeguard also recounted witnessing Cox’s behavior in one of the school locker rooms.

Compounding his offenses, detectives found that Cox possessed child pornography on his phone, alongside a schedule of children’s gymnastics classes at the Barcroft facility. Additional schedules for swimming lessons at other recreational centers in nearby Fairfax County were recovered, where witnesses have reported seeing him around children.

Cox is categorized as a Tier III sex offender, indicating he presents a high level of risk and requires lifetime registration, as per court documents. His placement on the registry dates back to 1998, with significant additional charges since then.

In December, he faced arrest for allegedly spying on women in female changing areas at Arlington’s swimming center, which shares facilities with Washington-Liberty High School. Importantly, Arlington Public Schools uphold a policy that allows individuals to use bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity.

Leading up to his arrest, Cox had numerous encounters with law enforcement related to similar incidents, resulting in multiple complaints. Since 2024, he has been charged with 29 sex-related offenses, and his case will be presented to a Grand Jury soon.

As this situation unfolds, concerns continue to grow regarding the safety of public facilities and the implications of allowing individuals to self-identify in sensitive spaces.