Attorney General Jason Miyares intends to investigate the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office after the attempted abduction of a 3-year-old from Fair Oaks Mall last month.
Virginia Republicans argued Friday (Aug. 1) that Andres Caceres Jaldin, who allegedly swiped the toddler from a play area on July 18 before being stopped on the mall’s second floor, should have been in custody based on previous criminal charges — not out in the community.
“A repeat offender was let out of jail in Fairfax County three days before he was caught on camera attempting to abduct a 3-year-old little girl in broad daylight,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on X. “There is a shocking and unforgivable pattern in Fairfax County of releasing criminals back onto Virginia’s streets instead of keeping them behind bars.”
Surveillance footage of the incident, first obtained by WUSA9, appeared to show a man identified by police as Caceres Jaldin grabbing a girl after she left the play area. He continued to walk into a JCPenney store with the toddler in tow.
Caceres Jaldin, who fled the mall before police arrived, was released from police custody earlier in the month after being charged with reckless driving and failing to stop for a crash on July 2 — a felony, according to online court records.
He was released on recognizance, which can be granted by a court on certain conditions, including that the defendant maintain good behavior during the case proceedings, appear for scheduled hearings and remain in Virginia. Bond hearings in the case were held on July 10 and 15.
Miyares went after Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano directly, pinning blame for the incident on the prosecutor, a Democrat who was reelected in 2023 and has clashed with Virginia’s Republican leaders before.
“Fairfax families do not deserve to live in a climate of fear because one person refuses to do his job,” Miyares said on X. “My office will examine the facts and report to the people of Fairfax why CA Descano’s refusal to prosecute criminals has been allowed to endanger the public.”
The 26-year-old appears to have been charged with more than 30 crimes or infractions since 2016, including two counts of malicious wounding in 2024 that were dropped by the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
In all, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office opted not to prosecute 12 cases against Caceres Jaldin, including charges for destruction of property and the aforementioned malicious wounding, among others.
John Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, took a more partisan stance on the incident today (Monday), saying “reckless Democrat prosecutors … refuse to listen and adjust.”
Seriously? This alleged kidnapper was let out of Fairfax jail just THREE DAYS before picking up this little girl???
And he has a huge rap sheet? 43 different charges over multiple arrests but reckless Democrat prosecutors refuse to lock him up?
Is this guy an illegal or not?…
— John Reid (@JohnReid4VA) August 4, 2025
A request for comment sent to the Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney’s Office was not immediately returned. The county’s public defender’s office, which is representing Caceres Jaldin, declined to comment.
In addition to the charge for abduction, Caceres Jaldin faces a felony for grand larceny of an automobile, which stems from the alleged theft of a vehicle earlier on the morning of July 18. He was also charged with violating the conditions of his bail.
Caceres Jaldin, who was arrested in Chantilly on July 21, is currently housed in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. He is scheduled to next appear for the abduction charge in Fairfax County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court — where hearings are private — on Aug. 21.
A preliminary hearing on the vehicle theft charge is scheduled in Fairfax County General District Court on Oct. 20.
If convicted on both charges, Caceres Jaldin could face decades in prison.
The reckless driving and failure to stop charges are also still in progress, with a preliminary hearing set for Sept. 23 in the general district court.
