Steve Descano | FFXnow

JUST IN: Virginia AG seeks to take over dismissed Fairfax County indecent exposure case

Published February 11, 2025 at 3:55PM

Fairfax County Courthouse (file photo)

Virginia’s attorney general is apparently seeking to revive a Fairfax indecent exposure case against a person who was subsequently charged with allegedly exposing himself in a girls’ locker room at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington.

In a Feb. 11 letter to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, Attorney General Jason Miyares accused the county’s top prosecutor of undermining public safety after a case charging Richard Kenneth Cox with indecent exposure at a Planet Fitness in Fairfax City was dismissed last summer.

Countywide

Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney forms new wrongful convictions review partnership

By Jared Serre

Published February 10, 2025 at 11:20AM

Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Individuals who believe they have been wrongfully convicted in Fairfax County now have a new way forward.

The county’s Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP), announced today (Monday) the creation of a Conviction Integrity Unit that will review challenged cases, establishing a process to potentially “secure more just outcomes.”

News

Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney seeking protective order after alleged harassment and threats

By Vernon Miles

Published April 16, 2024 at 10:30AM

Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve T. Descano delivers remarks at a press conference in Fairfax (File photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano is seeking a protective order against a man allegedly making threats against him and his family, WJLA first reported.

The man, whose name was redacted, was prosecuted by Descano’s office for other incidents of harassment and violating protective orders.

News

Man sentenced to life in prison for Seven Corners murder, arson

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 15, 2024 at 3:50PM

Police are conducting a homicide investigation at The Villages at Falls Church (photo by Ed O'Carroll)

A man convicted of killing a woman at her Seven Corners condominium and setting her body on fire has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.

A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge handed down two consecutive life sentences to Richard Montano, 48, today (Friday) after a jury convicted him last October of murdering Silvia “Kelly” Vaca Abacay on Aug. 10, 2022, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office announced.

Countywide

New Fairfax County program diverts people from incarceration to culinary training

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 12, 2024 at 9:30AM

Sen. Tim Kaine and Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano talk at Mackenzie's Tunes and Tonics for a press conference on the county's Taking Root diversion program (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Instead of jail-time, a restaurant job could be waiting for some individuals facing non-violent criminal charges in Fairfax County if they finish a newly launched job training program.

The Pathfinder Kitchen initiative unveiled Monday (Jan. 8) by the Fairfax County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney builds on the office’s nascent Taking Root diversion program, which offers case management, mental health and substance use assessments, affordable housing and other services to people accused of non-violent crimes in lieu of incarceration.

Countywide

UPDATED: Fairfax County saw dip in voter turnout for crucial state, local elections

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 9, 2023 at 11:45AM | Updated November 10, 2023 at 10:54AM

Democrats celebrate a near-sweep in the 2023 general election (courtesy Mike Beaty)

(Updated at 10:55 a.m. on 11/10/2023) About 40% of registered Fairfax County voters participated in this year’s general election, which decided state and local representatives who will shape policies on issues from abortion to land use in the coming years.

As of Friday (Nov. 10), 308,855 of the county’s 787,171 registered voters cast a ballot — a 39.2% turnout rate, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.

Countywide

Defeated Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate endorses write-in campaign

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 31, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated October 31, 2023 at 3:47PM

Defense attorney Ed Nuttall announces he will campaign to be the Democratic nominee for Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney (via ABC7)

The official ballots for next week’s general election identify just one candidate for the job of top prosecutor in Fairfax County, but a group that identifies itself as victims’ rights supporters hopes to push another man into the office instead.

Defense attorney Ed Nuttall, who lost the Democratic primary in June to incumbent Steve Descano, officially endorsed a write-in campaign last week that seeks to make him the next Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney.

News

Woman convicted again of killing mother and sister in McLean in 2017

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 25, 2023 at 9:30AM

Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A woman who shot and killed her mother and sister at their shared home in McLean six years ago has been convicted of murder for a second time.

A Fairfax County Circuit Court jury found Megan Hargan guilty of first-degree murder and using a firearm while committing a felony on Friday (Sept. 22) after a previous conviction got vacated due to juror misconduct.

News

JUST IN: Man indicted for murder in fatal Mount Vernon shooting

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 17, 2023 at 3:10PM

Police say Brandon Wims was shot multiple times while in a car at the Old Mill Gardens apartments in Mount Vernon (via Google Maps)

A Mount Vernon man will be tried for murder after allegedly shooting and killing Brandon Wims outside the Old Mill Gardens apartments in October.

A grand jury indicted 43-year-old Kyjuan Trott-McLean today (Monday) for murder and three weapons charges, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.

News

JUST IN: Man sentenced to life in prison for 2016 killings of Springfield couple

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 16, 2023 at 3:45PM

Fairfax County Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Life in prison awaits the man responsible for the 2016 killings of 22-year-old Springfield residents Kedest Simeneh and Henok Yohannes.

Alexandria resident Yohannes Nessibu, 29, was sentenced to life in prison today (Friday) after being convicted of first-degree murder and manslaughter for shooting the couple during a drug deal, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced.