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Leesburg, VA

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El Salvadoran Man With Violent Past Jailed For Virginia Shooting Over Video Game Console El Salvadoran Man With Violent Past Jailed For Virginia Shooting Over Video Game Console
El Salvadoran Man With Violent Past Jailed For Virginia Shooting Over Video Game Console Game over. A man who fired a bullet into a Leesburg teen's bedroom during an argument over a video game has received a harsh sentence above guidelines, authorities announced on Friday. Emerson Josue Martinez Alvarenga, 20, was sentenced in Loudoun County Circuit Court to three years in the Virginia Department of Corrections after being convicted of: Maliciously shooting at an occupied building; Two counts of possession of a firearm by a non-citizen not lawfully present in the United States; Two counts of brandishing a firearm. The charges stem from a June 29, 2023, shooting at a…

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by Zak Failla
Business
These Party City Stores To Shut Down In Maryland, Virginia Amid Massive Closure These Party City Stores To Shut Down In Maryland, Virginia Amid Massive Closure
These Party City Stores To Shut Down In Maryland, Virginia Amid Massive Closure Dozens of Party City locations in the DMV region are among the hundreds set to be closed as the company announced it is going out of business. Both Maryland and Virginia were hit hard by the reported closure, which will impact approximately 800 stores across the country. Party City was founded in 1986 and is the largest retailer of party goods in North America. In Maryland, there are 19 stores among those set to be shut down in these locations, according to the company's website:  Annapolis; Baltimore; Bel Air; Catonsville; Cockeysville; Columbia; Forestville; Frederick; Gaithersb…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Police Identify 52-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Crash At Maryland Intersection Police Identify 52-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Crash At Maryland Intersection
Police Identify 52-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Crash At Maryland Intersection A Sterling man has died following a tragic crash involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle at a Leesburg intersection, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). Members of the sheriff's office were called at around 1 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the intersection of Fort Evans Road NE and Forest Spring Drive in Leesburg to investigate the reported crash. The motorcyclist, identified as 52-year-old Ijaumaa Malik McCutcheon, was rushed to an area hospital on Tuesday afternoon, where he later died from injuries sustained in the crash, officials confirmed. The driver of the second veh…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Virginia Barn Blaze Rages Overnight, Threatens Nearby Woods: Fire Officials Virginia Barn Blaze Rages Overnight, Threatens Nearby Woods: Fire Officials
Virginia Barn Blaze Rages Overnight, Threatens Nearby Woods: Fire Officials Firefighters in Loudoun County had their hands full early Tuesday morning, battling a raging barn fire that spread to nearby woods in Leesburg. The blaze was reported just before 2 a.m. in the 43300 block of Spinks Ferry Road. Crews from Lucketts, Leesburg, Lovettsville, Lansdowne, Ashburn, and Frederick County, arrived to find a 40-by-40-foot pole barn fully engulfed in flames, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials said. Flames had already spread to an adjacent wooded area, forcing crews to launch an aggressive exterior attack on both the structure and the wildfire.  The bulk of t…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Leesburg Launches Volunteer Police Program To Strengthen Safety And Community Ties Leesburg Launches Volunteer Police Program To Strengthen Safety And Community Ties
Leesburg Launches Volunteer Police Program To Strengthen Safety And Community Ties In a bold move to enhance public safety and community collaboration, the Leesburg Town Council has greenlit a new Auxiliary Police Officer (APO) Program that will recruit trained volunteers to support the town’s police department. The program, approved unanimously on Wednesday, Nov. 20, is set to bring a fresh wave of community engagement by allowing auxiliary officers to assist with public events, traffic control, and emergencies. “This program will allow community members to play an active role in supporting our department,” said Leesburg Police Chief Thea Pirnat. “We are grateful to the …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Smash-And-Grab: Suspects Shatter Virginia Jewelry Store Front, Flee With Loot, Police Say Smash-And-Grab: Suspects Shatter Virginia Jewelry Store Front, Flee With Loot, Police Say
Smash-And-Grab: Suspects Shatter Virginia Jewelry Store Front, Flee With Loot, Police Say A high-end jewelry store in Leesburg became the target of a smash-and-grab burglary early Tuesday morning, leaving investigators searching for three suspects who shattered the store’s front window and made off with stolen goods. At approximately 1:33 a.m. on Nov. 19, police say that officers responded to White & Ivory Fine Jewelry, on Village Market Boulevard SE, for reports of a burglary.  Upon arrival, they discovered the store’s front window had been broken, and an undisclosed amount of jewelry was missing, according to the Leesburg Police Department. Surveillance footage captu…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Pedestrian Critically Injured In 'Serious' Virginia Crash: Police (DEVELOPING) Pedestrian Critically Injured In 'Serious' Virginia Crash: Police (DEVELOPING)
Pedestrian Critically Injured In 'Serious' Virginia Crash: Police (Developing) One person suffered critical injuries in what police described as a "serious crash" in Leesburg on Friday morning. Shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Nov. 15, first responders were called to the area of Catoctin Circle SE and South King Street, where there were multiple reports of a pedestrian who was struck by a Ford pick-up truck. According to the Leesburg Police Department, upon arrival, officers provided aid until the pedestrian could be rushed to an area hospital with "critical injuries."  Officials noted that the driver remained at the scene and assisted with investigators. The crash i…

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by Zak Failla
Business
TGI Fridays Files For Bankruptcy Weeks After Sudden Closures Of At Least 12 Restaurants TGI Fridays Files For Bankruptcy Weeks After Sudden Closures Of At Least 12 Restaurants
TGI Fridays Files For Bankruptcy Weeks After Sudden Closures Of At Least 12 Restaurants Casual dining chain TGI Fridays has filed for bankruptcy several weeks after at least 12 of its restaurants suddenly closed. The company filed the Chapter 11 petition on Saturday, Nov. 2, in Texas, near its Dallas headquarters. Founded in New York City in 1965, TGI Fridays has 95 restaurants in the US, 39 of which the company owns and operates. The other 56 are independent franchises not involved in the bankruptcy petition. The company said that all those locations will remain open. According to the TGI Fridays website and other reports, the following locations are now listed as permanent…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Road-Raging Driver Who 'Terrorized' Father In Virginia Finds Out Fate At Sentencing Road-Raging Driver Who 'Terrorized' Father In Virginia Finds Out Fate At Sentencing
Road-Raging Driver Who 'Terrorized' Father In Virginia Finds Out Fate At Sentencing A driver who was too fast and too furious is set to spend years behind bars in Virginia after a road rage incident involving a father and son in Loudoun County last fall.  Ricardo Osiel Avilez Blanco, 28, was sentenced to serve eight years in the Virginia Department of Corrections with no time suspended for an attempted malicious wounding charge dating back to an episode that ended in the parking lot of Heritage High School in October 2023. According to prosecutors, on Oct. 14, 2023, a man was driving with his son in Leesburg when Avilez Blanco began to tailgate and aggressively f…

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by Zak Failla
News
'Significant Risk To Community' 'Deserves Every Minute' Of Sentence In Virginia: Prosecutor 'Significant Risk To Community' 'Deserves Every Minute' Of Sentence In Virginia: Prosecutor
'Significant Risk To Community' 'Deserves Every Minute' Of Sentence In Virginia: Prosecutor A man described as "a significant risk to the community" will spend nearly two decades in prison, prosecutors in Loudoun County announced on Thursday. Lorenzo Arnez Green, 39, who has a lengthy criminal history, was sentenced to 18 years in prison with no time suspended after being convicted on a host of charges following an incident that played out while he was on probation. Specifically, Green was convicted of:  Two counts of possession with the. intent to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance; Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance; Possession of a fire…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
DUI Driver Busted For Eluding, Hit-Run Crash In Virginia: Sheriff DUI Driver Busted For Eluding, Hit-Run Crash In Virginia: Sheriff
DUI Driver Busted For Eluding, Hit-Run Crash In Virginia: Sheriff A Loudoun County Sheriff's deputy made the most of his second chance to bust a suspected drunk driver who attempted to flee, officials say. Leesburg resident Mikey Mendoza, 25, got away once, but wasn't quick enough to get away twice after taking deputies on a brief pursuit over the weekend. Shortly after midnight on Saturday, Oct. 26, deputies attempted to stop a vehicle that was driving without headlights on in the eastbound lanes of Leesburg Pike near North Sterling Boulevard in Sterling. When the deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Mendoza failed to pull over and sped away, el…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maryland Women Charged With Multiple Retail Thefts At Leesburg Premium Outlet Mall Maryland Women Charged With Multiple Retail Thefts At Leesburg Premium Outlet Mall
Maryland Women Charged With Multiple Retail Thefts At Leesburg Premium Outlet Mall Two women from Maryland who crossed state lines are facing serious charges after being busted for multiple retail thefts in Virginia, police say. Loredana Sardaru, 39, and Ilie Anisoara, 31, both of Ellicott City, were arrested this week in connection to a series of reported thefts at the Leesburg Premium Outlet Mall on Fort Evans Road NE. According to the Leesburg Police Department, late in the afternoon on Tuesday, Oct. 15, officers were alerted to a series of reported thefts at Nike, The Children's Place, and Williams-Sonoma, and the pair was subsequently detained with the stolen merchan…

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by Zak Failla
Business
TGI Friday's Suddenly Closes VA Location Among 12 TGI Friday's Suddenly Closes VA Location Among 12
TGI Friday's Suddenly Closes VA Location Among 12 Casual dining chain TGI Fridays has closed at least a dozen of its restaurants in the last few weeks. Click here for a new, updated story: TGI Friday's Files For Bankruptcy Weeks After Sudden Closures Of At Least 12 Restaurants According to the company's website and other reports, the following locations are now listed as permanently closed: New York Middletown, 23 Crystal Run Crossing Poughkeepsie, 2594 South Road (Route 9) Clifton Park, 1 Southside Drive  Connecticut Enfield, Freshwater-Stateline Plaza, 130 Elm Street Pennsylvania Allentown,  395 S Ceda…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Masked Bank Robber Arrested After Targeting Virginia Truist Branch In Loudoun County (UPDATED) Masked Bank Robber Arrested After Targeting Virginia Truist Branch In Loudoun County (UPDATED)
Masked Bank Robber Arrested After Targeting Virginia Truist Branch In Loudoun County (Updated) It didn't take long for detectives in Loudoun County to track down a masked man wanted for robbing a bank on Friday, authorities announced. Joshua M. Boyce, 25, a local resident, was identified and arrested following an incident at a Leesburg bank, which was followed by a short-lived police pursuit, officials say. Officers were called at around 11:45 a.m. on Sept. 27 to Truist Bank in the 1000 block of Edwards Ferry Road NW in Leesburg, where there was a reported robbery. According to police, members of the Leesburg Police Department were called at 11:42 a.m. on Friday to the bank, as well…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Bank Robber At Large After Targeting Virginia Truist Branch In Loudoun County (DEVELOPING) Bank Robber At Large After Targeting Virginia Truist Branch In Loudoun County (DEVELOPING)
Bank Robber At Large After Targeting Virginia Truist Branch In Loudoun County (Developing) Recognize him?  A masked man is at large after a bank robbery was reported in Loudoun County on Friday afternoon, now police in Leesburg are seeking the public's assistance in identifying and locating their suspect. Officers were called at around 11:45 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 to Truist Bank in the 1000 block of Edwards Ferry Road NW in Leesburg, where there was a reported robbery. According to police, members of the Leesburg Police Department were called at 11:42 a.m. on Friday to the bank, as well as the 200 block of Fort Evans Road NE at the Leesburg Outlet Mall to conduct an inves…

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by Zak Failla
News
Teen Charged For Sending Threatening Text Messages Targeting Students In Virginia: Police Teen Charged For Sending Threatening Text Messages Targeting Students In Virginia: Police
Teen Charged For Sending Threatening Text Messages Targeting Students In Virginia: Police Technology got the better of a teenager in Virginia who is now facing charges for allegedly sending questionable text messages to a crisis line threatening to harm students, police say. The Leesburg Police Department announced on Thursday morning that a minor has been charged with making threats via electronic communication following a weeklong investigation that was launched following an early morning stream of consciousness last week. Investigators say that shortly after 12:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Leesburg Police Department was alerted to a series of text messages which "…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Spark From Welder, Grinder, Causes $1M In Damage At Virginia Magnet School: Fire Marshal Spark From Welder, Grinder, Causes $1M In Damage At Virginia Magnet School: Fire Marshal
Spark From Welder, Grinder, Causes $1M In Damage At Virginia Magnet School: Fire Marshal Debris from a welder inside a classroom at the Academies of Loudoun magnet school in Leesburg on Tuesday afternoon is likely to blame for the $1 million fire that broke out, officials say. At around 1 p.m. on Sept. 17, the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received an emergency call from the alarm company reporting a pull-station activation at the school, an the SRO assigned to the school reported a heavy smoke area in the boiler room reported the situation a minute later. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue crews and several neighboring agencies responded to the scene, where they f…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Driver Charged With DWI After Smashing Through Fence, Into Virginia Home, Police Say Driver Charged With DWI After Smashing Through Fence, Into Virginia Home, Police Say
Driver Charged With DWI After Smashing Through Fence, Into Virginia Home, Police Say A 57-year-old man was allegedly intoxicated in Loudoun County when he hopped a curb and crashed into a Leesburg home, police say. Erik Henderson is facing charges following the investigation into an overnight crash when his vehicle smashed into the front of a house in the 800 block of Rush Drive NE. Upon arrival at the home, a spokesperson from the Leesburg Police Department said that officers were met by a 2020 Subaru that crashed into the front of the residence, causing structural damage. No injuries were reported. The preliminary investigation found that Henderson was heading north on …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
County Judge Arrested For Public Intoxication In Virginia, Police Say County Judge Arrested For Public Intoxication In Virginia, Police Say
County Judge Arrested For Public Intoxication In Virginia, Police Say A local judge was arrested for public intoxication in northern Virginia, authorities said. Charles F. Koehler Jr. a sitting judge in Loudoun County, was found walking down the Leesburg Bypass near South King Street in Leesburg by responding officers around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, local police said. After making contact with Koehler, he was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication. Kohler was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center where he was released on his own recognizance. A criminal defense attorney, Koehler grad…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Suspect Arrested Weeks After Breaking Into Virginia Jewelry Store, Police Say Suspect Arrested Weeks After Breaking Into Virginia Jewelry Store, Police Say
Suspect Arrested Weeks After Breaking Into Virginia Jewelry Store, Police Say A suspect has been taken into custody following a burglary at a Loudoun County jewelry store earlier this month, authorities announced on Monday. Terrence Turner, 34, who has no fixed address, was taken into custody over the weekend in the 1300 block of Edwards Ferry Road NE following an investigation into an incident at White and Ivory Diamonds in Leesburg. At approximately 5:10 a.m. on Aug. 10, officers responded to an alarm at the store in the 1600 block of Village Market Boulevard SE, where they were met by a damaged front door and a building that had been entered. The want…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Man Arrested For DWI, Hit-Run While Driving On Virginia Sidewalk, Police Say Maryland Man Arrested For DWI, Hit-Run While Driving On Virginia Sidewalk, Police Say
Maryland Man Arrested For DWI, Hit-Run While Driving On Virginia Sidewalk, Police Say A teen from Maryland who drove along the sidewalk of a busy Virginia trail while allegedly intoxicated before bailing on his vehicle was apprehended, police say. Luis Funez Medina, 18, of Columbia, Maryland, is facing multiple charges following an incident that played out on Saturday on the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail in Loudoun County. According to investigators, at around 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 17, officers from the Leesburg Police Department were called to investigate reports of a driver who was on the sidewalk in the area of Crosstrail Boulevard SE.  Police say that F…

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by Zak Failla
News
Teen Charged With False Reporting Following Swatting Incident At Virginia Safeway: Police Teen Charged With False Reporting Following Swatting Incident At Virginia Safeway: Police
Teen Charged With False Reporting Following Swatting Incident At Virginia Safeway: Police An 18-year-old has been identified and charged as the person responsible for a reported swatting incident at a Loudoun County Safeway earlier this summer, police say. Leesburg resident Caleb Wolfe, has been charged with false emergency communication to emergency personnel - a misdemeanor - stemming from a false report of an armed robbery in July. At around 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 13, police say that the Leesburg Police Department Emergency Communications Center received a report of a robbery at the grocery store on South King Street involving two people armed with knives who armed a m…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Irate Man Arrested For Threatening Employee At Virginia Public Defender's Office: Police Irate Man Arrested For Threatening Employee At Virginia Public Defender's Office: Police
Irate Man Arrested For Threatening Employee At Virginia Public Defender's Office: Police A 22-year-old man who broke into a public defender's office in Virginia and made threats toward an employee before moving on to the courthouse is behind bars, police say. Riley Biro, who has no fixed address, is facing multiple felonies following an incident that played out at the Loudoun County Public Defender's Office on Monday afternoon and spilled over into the local courthouse. According to the Leesburg Police Department, at around 1:10 p.m. officers were called to the building when Biro allegedly forcibly entered the main office door in the 200 block of Loudoun Street SE.  Inves…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Who Sexually Abused Missing Minor Sentenced For Rape In Virginia: Prosecutors Man Who Sexually Abused Missing Minor Sentenced For Rape In Virginia: Prosecutors
Man Who Sexually Abused Missing Minor Sentenced For Rape In Virginia: Prosecutors The 21-year-old man who sexually abused a minor who was reported missing last year in Virginia will spend years in prison, authorities announced on Friday. Brandon Estrada De Leon pleaded guilty to raping a child under the age of 13 and possession of child pornography and a judge sentenced him this week to 11 years and 11 months of active prison time.  De Leon's entire sentence was 54 years and 11 months with 44 years suspended.  In April 2023, the Leesburg Police Department launched an investigation into a runaway, and it was later determined that De Leon, a reported longtime fa…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Working At Virginia Escape Room Sexually Assaulted Child, Police Say Man Working At Virginia Escape Room Sexually Assaulted Child, Police Say
Man Working At Virginia Escape Room Sexually Assaulted Child, Police Say A 38-year-old man in Loudoun County is facing charges for "taking indecent liberties with a child," according to the Leesburg Police Department. On Friday, the agency announced that local resident Michael J. Pena, 38, has been arrested for sexually abusing child while in a supervisory relationship after what was described as "an in-depth investigation."  In October last year, the department received a report that Pena assaulted a minor while he was employed at the Escape Room LOCO in Leesburg, officials said. Pena was identified as a suspect and he turned himself into the Loudoun Coun…

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by Zak Failla
News
Suspect Vehicle In Manassas Woman's Murder Could Be In Loudoun County, Cops Say Suspect Vehicle In Manassas Woman's Murder Could Be In Loudoun County, Cops Say
Suspect Vehicle In Manassas Woman's Murder Could Be In Loudoun County, Cops Say Police in Manassas are searching for a suspect vehicle in a Manassas killing of an 18-year-old woman. Ashlin Paz, of no fixed address, was shot and killed in a wooded area near Pineview Road and Cregger Lane around 8:25 p.m. Thursday, July 18. The suspect vehicle, a blue Hyundai Elantra with Virginia license plate TVT-8777 was seen leaving the scene, Prince William County police said.  The vehicle is possibly in the Leesburg/Loudoun County area. Detectives are still actively investigating the incident to determine what led up to the shooting and are seeking to speak with anyone w…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Firefighters Injured Battling Blaze On Loudoun County Porch Firefighters Injured Battling Blaze On Loudoun County Porch
Firefighters Injured Battling Blaze On Loudoun County Porch Two firefighters suffered minor injuries battling a house fire on Thursday morning in Virginia, officials say. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue crews were called to a reported structure fire in the 200 block of Edwards Ferry Road NE in Leesburg at approximately 11 a.m. on July 11. Upon arrival, firefighters were met with smoke showing and fire on the porch, which was quickly extinguished by first responders. According to a spokesperson for the agency, two firefighters sustained minor injuries during the incident. No other injuries were reported. The incident is now being investigated by the…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Virginia Man Busted On Child Porn Charges, Police Say Virginia Man Busted On Child Porn Charges, Police Say
Virginia Man Busted On Child Porn Charges, Police Say A 27-year-old man is facing child porn charges in Loudoun County following what police described as "an extensive investigation" in Leesburg. Henri Benitez Ramirez was hit with seven counts of possession of child porn following his arrest in Virginia on Tuesday, authorities announced. On July 9, detectives from the Leesburg Police Department arrested Benitez Ramirez and executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of Halifax Place SE after receiving a cyber tip about possible child porn being accessed. Benitez Ramirez was arrested without incident and taken to the Loudoun…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Accused Of Inappropriate Contact With Minor Online: Leesburg Police Man Accused Of Inappropriate Contact With Minor Online: Leesburg Police
Man Accused Of Inappropriate Contact With Minor Online: Leesburg Police A 22-year-old Loudoun County man who allegedly targeted a minor online is facing child porn and other charges, authorities announced. Jhoshua Quichiz Sagarvinaga was arrested this week and charged following an investigation into inappropriate communications between an adult and a minor, according to the Leesburg Police Department on Friday. According to investigators, on Wednesday, June 26, the agency was tipped off about Sagarvinaga's activities online involving a minor, leading to his arrest. The Leesburg resident was charged with solicitation of child pornography and use of co…

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by Zak Failla
News
Convict Accused Of Firing Shots Near Leesburg Businesses Busted In Arlington, Police Say Convict Accused Of Firing Shots Near Leesburg Businesses Busted In Arlington, Police Say
Convict Accused Of Firing Shots Near Leesburg Businesses Busted In Arlington, Police Say Reports of shots fired near Loudoun County businesses over the weekend led to the apprehension of a convicted felon from Leesburg, police say. Gerald McMurray, 37, was arrested by members of the Arlington Police Department on Wednesday night, following an investigation into a late night shooting on Saturday. Shortly after 11 p.m. on June 22 officers from the Leesburg Police Department were called to the unit block of Plaza Street NE, where shots were fired, though they were unable to locate any suspect at the time. No injuries or property damage was reported. During the investigation, pol…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Accused Of Setting Incendiary Blaze In Vacant Virginia Structure: Fire Marshal Man Accused Of Setting Incendiary Blaze In Vacant Virginia Structure: Fire Marshal
Man Accused Of Setting Incendiary Blaze In Vacant Virginia Structure: Fire Marshal A man who allegedly set an incendiary fire in Loudoun County earlier this year has been arrested following a months-long investigation, according to the sheriff's office. Francisco Juarez was arrested on Tuesday in connection to a fire that was allegedly intentionally site in February in the 30 block of Sycolin Road in Leesburg, authorities announced. According to investigators, at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 19, first responders were called to the building, where firefighters were met by a small blaze inside a vacant structure, which was extinguished rapidly before it could spread. Du…

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by Zak Failla