A Herndon man who was the former procurement director for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. pled guilty to a bribery conspiracy yesterday (Monday).
According to court documents, Jeffrey Donahue, 42, received cash payments and other items — including the promise of a job — amounting to $1 million from Nadeem Ansari, a Haymarket resident, in return for steering PBGC contracts to Ansari’s company.
Nearly five years ago, Donahue offered to help Ansari’s new company win a $55 million contract in exchange for a future job with the company. The Herndon resident helped Ansari complete the proposal process, including the disclosure of labor pricing estimates. When the company did not win the contract, Donahue helped Ansari write bid protest.
Here’s more from the U.S. Department of Justice on the case:
In 2016, Donahue proposed a second arrangement with Ansari in which Donahue would receive up to $125,000 from Ansari and his company in exchange for steering a contract to Ansari’s company. PBGC awarded the contract to Ansari’s company, which resulted in payments to the company totaling approximately $3.29 million. Donahue steered the contract by, among other things, providing sensitive, non-public information and work product to Ansari; providing guidance for contract pricing; and adjusting the terms of the contract to align with the qualifications of the company’s personnel. Donahue received at least $48,000 in cash, plus additional gifts. Donahue and Ansari also took steps to conceal the scheme and their communications with each other, including using separate, dedicated cellular telephones and e-mail accounts and communicating through encrypted software.
Ansari also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to bribe a public official. Sentencing for both men is set for Sept. 11.
The PBGC is a federally-chartered corporation that aims to protect retirement security through single-employer and multi-employer plans.
Photo via PBGC/Facebook
Local police are bracing for an increase in the number of domestic violence cases with a stay-at-home order in effect in Virginia.
The Fairfax County Police Department has seen an “incremental uptick” in domestic violence calls in the county.
“While not an alarming uptick, we’re seeing slightly more than what we experienced prior to three weeks,” Sgt. Greg Bedor told Reston Now.
In the last three weeks, FCPD has received a weekly average of 235 domestic-related calls, data show. Most incidents are reported over the weekend on a weekly basis.
The police department is attempting to triage calls by separating people from their homes and conducting interviews over the phone wherever possible, according to FCPD.
Officers are also making an effort to encourage individuals to turn themselves in if an arrest is warranted.
Although the county’s Domestic Violence Hotline has not seen any increases in reported incidents, county officials are encouraging people to seek help.
They say rising unemployment and the pressure of bounding bills “during the already stressful coronavirus pandemic could lead to an increase in domestic violence.”
“For victims of domestic violence, being home may not be the safest place, particularly as people are financially and emotionally stressed,” said Toni Zollicoffer, Fairfax County’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Services division director. “Victims and survivors of recent sexual and intimate partner violence face unique challenges during this period of extended social distancing and isolation.
Her office offered the following tips:
Call or Text for Help 24/7
Call Fairfax County’s Domestic and Sexual Violence hotline: 703-360-7273, TTY 711. It’s available for help 24-hours a day, every day.
If it’s not safe to talk, text LOVEIS to 22522 to connect with the National Domestic Violence Hotline. You also can online chat with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).
As always, anyone who is in immediate danger should call 9-1-1.
Plan Ahead
There are actions people can take to prepare, including:
- Be aware of safe rooms with locks and which rooms have doors or windows for quick exit. Â Discuss these with children and other family members.
- Make a list of safe contacts and emergency resources. Some people find it helpful to hide copies of important documents and safe contacts somewhere outside the home, such as buried in a planter or at a safe neighbor’s home.
- Plan with kids and other family members if you can. Think about their safety options. Think of a place you can go or send other family members in an emergency or long term.
- Arrange daily check-ins or code words with people you trust.
What You Can Do
“If you are concerned about a friend or family member, it’s more important than ever to check in with them,” said Zollicoffer. “For resources or information on ways to assist those you are concerned about, call the Domestic Violence hotline.”
We can all play a role in preventing domestic violence. Encourage people who are experiencing abuse to make a safety plan, call for help and guidance and let them know that the abuse is not their fault. Let them know you are there to listen, help and support them without judgement.
Photo via Fairfax County Police Department
A children’s entertainer who used to perform at Reston Town Center pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, NBC4 reported.
Steven Rossi, who used the stage name “Mr. Knick Knack,” was charged with 10 felony counts of possession of child pornography in the spring.
Prior to his arrest in April, Rossi performed regularly at Reston Town Center.
“A tip from an internet service provider led Fairfax County police to search his home in Reston. Police discovered over 50 electronic files containing illicit images of children,” NBC4 reported.
Photo via FCPD
Fairfax County police have arrested a Reston man following a suspicious package investigation at The Spectrum yesterday (Wednesday).
Police said in an update today (Thursday) that around 3:30 p.m. a man who was previously banned from the Verizon store (11830 Spectrum Center) “set a suspicious package on the counter and indicated to an employee that it was a bomb.”
Shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday, police tweeted that several businesses were evacuated as a result of the investigation, and then around 8 p.m. that the suspicious package was determined to not be hazardous.
“Officers from the Special Operations Divisions examined the device and determined it to be a hoax,” police said today.
Police arrested Timothy Stein, 54, today and charged him with felony bomb threat, felony hoax explosive device and trespassing.
Image via Google MapsÂ
Local police are still looking for the driver of a car who hit and killed Marvin Daniel Cruz Serrano, 16, of Reston in December.
Police said the vehicle was likely a sedan, according to witness accounts. The make, model and driver of the car are unknown.
The Fairfax County Police Department requests any with information to call the department’s crash reconstruction unit at 703-280-0543. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 1-866-411-TIPS or by text by sending “fccs” to 847411.
Seranno was killed while walking across South Lakes Drive towards Castle Rock Square on December 31.
Photo via Madison Grace Shannon/Facebook
A Herndon man was sentenced to one year in prison last week for cyberstalking a woman in New York for more than three years.
Brandon Theresa, 21, used the woman’s online accounts without her permission, created fake accounts using her name and sent information from her account in order to embarrass her, according to court documents.
Investigators said that when the victim tried to cut off communication with Theresa, the man made U.S. Postal Service delivery accounts in the names of her friends and family to receive updates on the victim’s activities and the people in her life.
“He used this information to track down the victim, using anonymizing technologies that made it difficult for the victim to block the communications,” according to a release by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
He continued to stalk the victim until federal authorities searched his home after receiving a search warrant in December last year.
Investigators believe Theresa stalked the woman between May 2015 and December 2018.
A Reston man was arrested when a homeowner spotted him from his home from his security cameras on Monday (July 29).
Andre Irick, 23, was arrested near the home on the 12000 block of Fox View Way around 12:07 a.m. that day, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The homeowner saw the man from his security camera and also heard noise coming from downstairs. Police believe Irick ran away as the homeowner shouted at him to leave his home.
Irick was charged with unlawful entry.
In an unrelated incident, a home on the 13000 block of Shea Place was ransacked sometime in mid-to-late July. FCPD released no other information about the incident.
FCPD’s Reston District Station also reported the following minor incidents in recent days:
LARCENIES:
1700 block of Business Center Drive, cell phone from business
7100 block of Capitol View Drive, tool from location
1600 block of Chimney House Road, cash from location
1300 block of Cold Harbor Court, package from residence
13400 block of Farm Crest Court, bicycle from residence
1800 block of Fountain Drive, cash from business
11400 block of Isaac Newton Square, wallet and keys from location
2200 block of Gunsmith Square, cash from vehicle
11600 block of Hunters Green Court, license plate from vehicle
13000 block of Laurel Tree Lane, wallet from vehicle
11900 block of Market Street, merchandise from business
13300 block of Misty Dawn Drive, purse from vehicle
1600 block of Reston Parkway, merchandise from business
11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, golf cart from location
12500 block of Sunrise Valley Drive, cell phone from location
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, purse and cell phone from vehicle
12100 block of Sunset Hills Road, wallet from vehicle
STOLEN VEHICLES:
None reported
As we reported earlier in the week, a Reston man was charged with obstrucion of justice on Thursday (July 25).
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins is holding a community meeting to provide updates on a suspicious death investigation near Hunters Woods Plaza.
The meeting will be held on Monday, July 29 at 7 p.m. at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road).
Hudgins, police officers from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station and representatives from the Hunters woods Neighborhood Coalition will attend the meeting.
Attendees will receive an update on the investigation and discuss how to keep the Hunters Woods area safe.
Jose Lorenzo Guillen Mejia, 24, of Reston, was found dead on June 23 near a path between Hunters Woods Plaza and Breton Court.
Police are investigating the incident as a “suspicious death.” Gunshots were reported moments before police responded to the scene. The state’s Office of the Medical Examiner declined to release the cause and manner of death to Reston Now.
Photo via FCPD
Fairfax County to Seek Flood Recovery Funds — “At its July 16 meeting, the county’s Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency for Fairfax County as a result of the July 8 torrential rainstorm that caused substantial damage to both public and private property. The heavy rains caused several county closures, numerous road closures, damage to homes, businesses, roads and dams as well as multiple rescues from our fire and rescue personnel of motorists stranded in flooded roadways.” [Fairfax News]
Previous Charges for Sex Offender in Custody for Assault in Reston — Gregg MacDonald reports that the suspect arrested in connection with a June 11 sexual assault was originally convicted of a sex crime in Greenville, S.C. in 2006. He is listed as wanted in the Virginia State Police Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. [Fairfax County Times]
Free Yoga on Reston Station Plaza Today — Beloved Yoga hosts a free yoga session for all at Reston Station Plaza today from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Yoga sessions continue throughout the summer. Attendees should bring water, a mat and a “zen-ready mind,” according to event organizers. [Reston Station]
Photo by vantagehill/Flickr
Parents Respond to Herndon High School Porn Case — Concerned parents gathered this week to discuss the case of a former Herndon High School drama teacher who is accused of possessing child pornography and unlawful filming. Police believe Raphael Schklowsky may have also set up two cameras at the school. [WUSA 9]
Fireworks Safety Demonstration Tomorrow — As the Fourth of July approaches, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is hosting a demonstration on how to safety use fireworks. The demonstration is set for 10 a.m. at the Fire and Rescue Training Academy. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Free Yoga at Reston Station — Beloved Yoga will offer free yoga lessons today (Thursday) from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the plaza. [Reston Station]
Registration Deadline for Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta — The deadline to register a boat to participate in the event is on Monday, July 1. The event is set to take place at Lake Anne on Saturday, August 10. [Reston Historic Trust & Museum]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Local police are investigating an indecent exposure incident that happened this month in Herndon.
According to the Herndon Police Department, a woman said a driver approached her while she was walking down Vine Street toward Ferndale Avenue on Friday, June 14.
When the woman declined to accept his offer for a ride, the man exposed himself to her.
Police described the suspect as a white male, between 40 and 50 years old, and of medium build.
The case is under investigation.
Virginia State Police arrested a Caroline County Man and a juvenile in connection with a carjacking that started in Reston on Wednesday (June 19).
Police believe Jaquan McNeil, 21, of Ruther Glen, and a juvenile suspect, assaulted a man as he was leaving his car on the 11400 block of Isaac Newtown Square at around 5 a.m.
The suspects then stole the BMW X5 and sped down I-95 when state police spotted them, according to police.
An officer spotted the car traveling south near a line marker in Prince William County and called more troopers to help. As police approached, the car swerved suddenly to the right shoulder and sped away from approaching law enforcement.
The pursuit continued for some time until the car crashed into a curve on the exit ramp and struck the guardrail.
McNeil fled the scene on foot, but was arrested a short while later. He was charged with one felony count of eluding police, one count of driving on a suspended license, one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of reckless driving. McNeil is being held at the Stafford County Jail.Â
The 15-year-old passenger was taken into custody without incident. Both suspects declined medical assistance for injuries that happened during the crash.
Police continue to investigate the incident.
Logo via Virginia State Police
A former Herndon High School teacher recorded dozens of illicit videos of students with hidden cameras around the school for more than a year, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
During a news conference on Wednesday (June 19), police said Raphael Schklowsky, 36, of Reston will face additional charges in connection with filming multiple students. Schklowsky is currently in jail due to previous charges for unlawful filming and possessing child pornography.
Maj. Ed. O’Carroll, commander of FCPD’s Major Crimes Bureau, said that FCPD has not determined the new charges yet. He says female students were filmed while undressing.
“The case remains active. Detectives have been working diligently on this case and our other important cases to bring justice and closure,” he said.
So far, police contacted nine people after identifying them from photos of videos taken by the former drama teacher. Videos were taken between May 2017 and June 2018, according to O’Carroll.
Some photos were taken outside the area, including New York, O’Carroll said. Authorities in other jurisdictions are conducting their own investigations.
Charges against Schklowsky have slowly built up as police discover new details about the investigation. Previously, police discovered over 3,500 videos on various devices.
At a hearing in May, he was charged with 20 felony counts of possession of child pornography and one felony charge of unlawful filming.
He has been on leave since his arrest, according to a spokesperson for Fairfax County Public Schools. His next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 6.
Any individual who think they may have been recorded by Schklowsky should call the police at 703-246-7800.
This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.
Virginians are lovers of history, including this Virginian as regular readers of this column know. This year Virginia is celebrating 400 years since the first representative legislative body met at Jamestown. Virginia is the Mother of Presidents. Virginia is for lovers of all kinds of things!
One bit of history that continues to loom large in Virginia’s psyche these days with as little mention as possible from the state apologists is the prevalence of gun violence in the Commonwealth. Twelve years ago the campus of Virginia Tech was the scene of the largest mass murder of its time. While other mass murders have occurred since then, VA Tech through no direct fault of its own continues to hold the record for the most people killed on a college campus.
Virginia last week made history again. Virginia Beach was the scene of the biggest mass murder so far this year. A dubious distinction that we would least like to have. Virginia lost 1,028 people to gun violence in 2017, and as the Governor described it, that is almost three people a day; that is more deaths than those due to vehicle accidents.
For Governor Ralph Northam and for me and countless other Virginians, we long ago have had enough. As Governor Northam said in a press conference which I took part in last week: “No one should go to work, to school, or to church wondering if they will come home. But that is what our society has come to, because we fail to act on gun violence. I will be asking for votes and laws, not thoughts and prayers.”
The laws he is seeking to get passed have been introduced in the General Assembly during its regular sessions without success. In a special session called by the Governor that will be held on July 9, only bills intended to end gun violence will be considered. And the Governor requested that “members of the General Assembly engage in an open and transparent debate and that the bills brought before the legislature are put to a vote by the entire General Assembly.”
Bills related to gun violence that have been introduced in the regular session including my bill to require universal background checks have been routinely referred by the Speaker of the House to the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee where they are sent to a subcommittee of six members. The members of the subcommittee are appointed by the Speaker of the House, four of whom have perfect voting records of opposing any gun safety legislation. My background check bill and the approximate 15 other bills related to preventing gun violence were defeated on a predictable vote of 2 to 4 with limited discussion or debate. Yes, that’s right. Four members who are buddies with the NRA get to make the decision of 140 elected members of the General Assembly!
It is time for Virginia to make history again by leading the nation in doing the right thing to end gun violence. Voters, please pay close attention to how your elected representatives vote!
File photo
Car Stolen from Garage in Home — Someone entered a garage on the 2700 block of Mansway Drive yesterday (May 21), took car keys and stole a 2017 Nissan Murano. The incident happened at around 7:15 a.m. [Fairfax County Police Department]
Reston-based Parabon Tracks Germantown Man Accused of Raping Elderly Women — DNA evidence submitted to the lab helped police track Marlon Alexander, who was sentenced to life in prison, on Tuesday. Alexander was linked to a series of unsolved rapes dating back over 10 years. [Fox 5]
A Recap of the 28th Annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival — Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) held its acclaimed free-to-the-public, 28th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival last weekend. The event featured more than 200 juried artists and offered “high-quality hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind artwork in the dynamic outdoor setting” at Reston Town Center according to GRACE. The Festival once again attracted an estimated crowd of 30,000. [The Connection]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
