A notorious sex offender faces serious allegations for indecent exposure in women’s and girls’ locker rooms across Virginia, under the pretense of being a transgender woman.
Richard Cox, a 58-year-old man with a visible bald spot, who is listed as a top-level sex offender, appeared in an Arlington courtroom on Thursday. During proceedings, he insisted on his identity as a woman and requested the prosecutor to refrain from misgendering him.
The judge, however, declined this request, highlighting the distress of numerous witnesses who observed Cox, who remains biologically male, engaging in lewd behavior in public locker rooms.
In one troubling incident, Cox, whose extensive criminal history spans over 30 years, was reportedly caught spying on women while he was naked in the changing area of a school that allows individuals to access restrooms according to gender identity.
One mother recounted a shocking experience when she accompanied her 5-year-old daughter to a public women’s locker room post-swim class, only to find Cox exposing himself in a shower stall with the curtain open, as noted by WJLA.
Another witness stated that when she and her two daughters, ages 5 and 6, visited the Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center for gymnastics, they discovered Cox in the girls’ locker room without any clothing.
A lifeguard, 17 years old, who worked at one of the Arlington pools, testified that she also witnessed Cox naked in the school locker room, corroborating multiple accounts from other witnesses during the hearing.
Further, evidence presented in court revealed that Cox possessed child pornography on his phone and had schedules for children’s gymnastics classes at the Barcroft gym, according to a detective’s testimony.
This same detective discovered schedules for children’s swimming lessons at recreation centers in the neighboring Fairfax County, where Cox has been reported engaging in suspicious behavior around minors, as per various sources.
Cox is categorized as a Tier III sex offender, the most severe classification, necessitating lifetime registration, as per court documents. His initial registration occurred in 1998, as official records indicate.
In December, he was arrested for allegedly observing women while naked in the changing rooms of Arlington’s swimming facility shared with Washington-Liberty High School.
Arlington Public Schools’ policy permits individuals to use locker rooms and restrooms corresponding to their gender identity.
In the months leading up to his arrest, Cox encountered multiple legal issues connected to similar offenses, which resulted in numerous complaints.
He has faced 29 charges stemming from his troubling behavior since 2024, as recorded in jail documents. His case is scheduled for presentation to the grand jury next week.
Cox’s criminal record for sexual offenses dates back to 1992, indicating a long history of such behavior, as evidenced by public records.
