Arlington police and other law enforcement agencies had been looking for a rape suspect Ronald P. Berton but it wasn’t until his mug shot was splashed across TV screens and computer monitors that the 36-year-old decided to turn himself in.
It’s not known for sure whether media attention helped convince Berton to surrender to police Sunday night — two days after police handed his photo over to local news organizations — but it certainly didn’t hurt.
“The media coverage around Berton’s warrant assisted with his arrest,” Arlington County police said in a statement. “This is an excellent example of citizens, the media, and law enforcement working together towards a safer community.”
