Latest news with #VADOC
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man to spend over 5 years in prison for spree of Maryland, DC bank robberies
WASHINGTON () — An Upper Marlboro man will spend several years in prison after he robbed multiple banks throughout Maryland and D.C. three years ago. The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) said 44-year-old Jonathan Brown-Murphy robbed or tried to rob six banks over two days, covering his face in each incident and wearing different clothing to try and avoid detection. He hit five banks in just two hours on one of the days. Virginia hits lowest recidivism rate in the United States, VADOC says Shortly after 11 a.m. on May 23, 2022, Brown-Murphy entered a Truist bank in Temple Hills — his third attempt that day. He approached a teller and passed her a note that read, 'Give me the money or I will kill you.' She refused and he left. Less than an hour later, at about 12:04 p.m. — shortly after another failed attempt elsewhere — Brown-Murphy entered a Capital One branch in Southeast D.C. He walked up to a teller and passed a note that stated, 'Give Me The Money Don't Get Killed !!' Brown-Murphy then lifted up his shirt as if he had a gun, the teller later told police. She gave him cash from her register. Capitol Heights man charged in deadly shooting of DC man Two days later, on May 25 that year, Brown-Murphy entered a Wells Fargo in District Heights. Like in other robberies, he passed the teller a note, which said, 'GIVE ME THE MONEY!!! DON'T GET KILLED!!!' Another bank employee saw the note and pressed an alarm, leading Brown-Murphy to flee empty-handed. A witness saw him leave in a black Cadillac and gave responding officers a description. Police tried to stop him, but Brown-Murphy led them on a chase to nearby Suitland, where he bailed from the car and fled on foot. Police arrested him after a chase. He was indicted on federal charges on Aug. 29, 2022, and has been in custody since then. The USAO noted he had two previous convictions for bank robbery and robbery. He pleaded guilty on July 12, 2023, to three counts of bank robbery and was sentenced in May 2025 to 63 months in prison. Brown-Murphy was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Virginia hits lowest recidivism rate in the United States, VADOC says
VIRGINIA () — The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) recently hit a milestone, with a new study showing the Commonwealth has the lowest recidivism rate in the country. VADOC Director Chad Dotson announced Thursday that recent data shows there is a 17.6% three-year reincarceration rate for inmates in state custody. The FY2020 rate is Virginia's lowest in more than 20 years and an improvement from FY2019, when it was at 19%. VADOC noted that the state has had the lowest or second-lowest recidivism rate in the nation for 12 consecutive years. 'Biased approach': DC Department of Corrections rejects recent audit report Virginia measures its three-year incarceration rate by waiting at least four years to allow all court information to be received and logged. The rate is then compared to 31 other states that have made their rates publicly available. 'This achievement is a collective win, not just for the dedicated public servants who are devoted to this agency's mission, but for all Virginians,' Dotson said, in part. 'Every single day, the VADOC ensures public safety across the Commonwealth by providing effective incarceration, supervision, and evidence-based reentry services. All three of those components are necessary to ensure that returning Virginians have a strong foundation upon which to build during their reentry journey.' 'As we know, a successful reentry process reduces recidivism and keeps all Virginians safe. I thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this best-in-class recidivism rate possible,' he continued. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
03-05-2025
- Epoch Times
MS-13 Gang Members Allegedly Stab 3 Virginia State Prison Officers
Three corrections officers at the Wallens Ridge State Prison in Virginia were attacked by six inmates in an 'apparently premeditated stabbing' incident, the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) said in a May 2 'The attack occurred at approximately 09:45 a.m. on Friday, May 2. Five of the six inmates involved in the attack are confirmed MS-13 gang members from El Salvador, who were in this country illegally. Each have been convicted of violent crimes including aggravated murder, first and second degree murder, and rape,' said the statement. 'The other inmate involved in the attack is a confirmed member of the Sureno 13 gang and from the United States, serving a sentence for second degree murder.' In total, five officers were shifted outside for medical treatment. Three have been discharged, including two who had suffered minor injuries while responding to the attack. Two officers are still in the hospital and are in 'stable condition,' VADOC said. 'Praying for the full recovery of the three Virginia correctional officers brutally stabbed today in a premeditated attack by MS-13 gang members, criminal illegal immigrants who should never have been in our country to begin with,' Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a May 3 Related Stories 4/22/2025 5/2/2025 Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 is one of the largest Hispanic criminal street The group is estimated to have more than 10,000 members in the United States. In February, the Department of State Sureno 13 is a transnational criminal street gang that originated in southern California and is known to engage in criminal activities such as human trafficking, murder, extortion, and narcotics trafficking, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Virginia attack is currently under investigation and VADOC refused to provide any more details on the incident until the probe is completed. 'Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in this country in the first place,' said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. 'Every single day, our officers put their lives on the line to ensure public safety for the more than 8.8 million people across the Commonwealth. This attack is an example of the dangers they face when they show up to work every day. Our officers are heroes, and I commend the team at Wallens Ridge for their swift response,' he said. The Epoch Times reached out to VADOC for additional comment. Removal of Illegal Immigrants Under the Trump administration, there has been an intense effort to arrest and remove illegal immigrants and criminals. In an April 29 The arrests include '2,288 gang members from Tren de Aragua, MS-13, 18th Street and other gangs. Additionally, 1,329 were accused or convicted of sex offenses, and 498 were accused or convicted of murder,' said ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons. 'We're just 100 days into this administration and thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is using every tool at its disposal to enforce our country's immigration laws and protect our communities.' However, the administration is facing significant legal challenges in its enforcement efforts. In January, President Donald Trump had On April 30, U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy The order, which is a modification of a previous injunction issued by the judge on April 18, puts roadblocks in Washington's attempt to deport the criminals from Guantanamo Bay. Earlier on April 23, border czar Tom Homan His comments came after a district judge issued a ruling on April 9 that blocked the government from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport people. Homan pushed back on the court decision. 'Maybe we've got to hold off on some of the deportation operation we're doing, but it's not going to stop us from seeking these people now, arresting them, and taking them off the streets of the United States while we're waiting for the courts to decide,' he said.
International Business Times
03-05-2025
- International Business Times
MS-13 Gang Members Staying Illegally in the US Stab 3 Correction Officers in Violent Virginia Prison Attack
A group of MS-13 gang members — all of whom are reportedly in the U.S. illegally — allegedly stabbed at least three correctional officers in a violent attack on Friday morning inside a Virginia prison, according to authorities. The violent incident took place around 9:45 a.m. at Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap, when six inmates — including five linked to the infamous El Salvadoran gang MS-13 — carried out a planned assault on the three correctional officers, the Virginia Department of Corrections said. "Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in the country in the first place," VADOC Director Chad Dotson said in a statement. Mayhem Inside Prison "Every single day, our officers put their lives on the line to ensure public safety for the more than 8.8 million people across the Commonwealth. This attack is an example of the dangers they face when they show up to work every day. Our officers are heroes, and I commend the team at Wallens Ridge for their swift response," the statement read. All five gang members had previously been found guilty of serious offenses, such as homicide and rape. Officials said that the sixth inmate, a U.S. citizen connected to the Sureño 13 gang, is currently serving a sentence for second-degree murder. Five correctional officers were rushed to outside hospitals after the attack. Three of them — including two who suffered minor injuries while intervening during the ambush — have been discharged, officials confirmed. The other two officers are still hospitalized but are in stable condition. Authorities say the investigation into the incident is still underway. No One Is Safe The brutal stabbing incident comes as national outrage grows over the case of alleged MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia — who was arrested by ICE in March and deported to El Salvador, even though an immigration judge had granted him protection from deportation. Garcia, 29, was first locked up in the notorious CECOT mega-prison before being transferred to a lower-security facility last month. He has denied any involvement in criminal activity, and his attorney maintains that Garcia has no ties to gang activity. Despite multiple court rulings ordering his return, the Trump administration has pushed back, insisting that Garcia was living in the U.S. illegally and is a member of the violent MS-13 gang. President Trump, who launched nationwide raids to remove undocumented immigrants, officially labeled MS-13 and Tren de Aragua as foreign terrorist outfits after declaring a national emergency at the southern border at the start of his second term. Federal authorities say MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha 13, was formed in the late 1980s and early 1990s and has since evolved into one of the country's most feared criminal organizations, known more for its brutal violence than for conventional criminal schemes. In New York, the gang made a strong presence on Long Island, reaching its height around 2015, and left behind a legacy of savage and relentless attacks.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘They should be sent back where they came from': Governor Youngkin deputizes Virginia State Police to help ICE enforcement
VIRGINIA () — Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an Thursday that directs Virginia State Police (VSP) to help with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removal and enforcement operations. VSP and the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) were directed to sign agreements with ICE, deputizing officials to support the federal effort. As part of the order, a task force within VSP would be dedicated to the identification and apprehension of illegal immigrants and VADOC correction officers would be trained and assigned as Designated Immigration Officers (DIOs). In a statement, Youngkin said, in part, 'Dangerous criminal illegal immigrants should not be let back into our communities to assault, rape and murder. They should be sent back where they came from.' Montgomery County Correctional Facility: Where Karen Huger will serve DUI sentence As of Feb. 27, just under 950 inmates in the VADOC had an open , according to Younkin's order. An immigration detainer is a notice informing federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that ICE intends to assume custody of that person. Typically, detainers are issued after ICE establishes probable cause that the person is removable – such as after they are convicted of a crime or if they pose a threat to national security or public safety. The executive order said a substantial number of the detainees are violent criminals. Youngkin stated that partnerships between the VSP and VADOC will 'not only reinforce Virginia's commitment to justice and the rule of law but also enhance our ability to preempt the reentry of dangerous offenders into our communities…' The executive order will turn officials' reactionary cooperation into more proactive measures. Three directives were outlined in the order, including: Initiate a VSP Task Force consisting of federally deputized officers who will help in the identification and apprehension of 'criminal illegal immigrants who pose a risk to public safety' throughout Virginia. Establish a VADOC Jail Enforcement Model Program to leverage multiple detention and processing facilities throughout Virginia and train corrections officers as Designated Immigration Officers (DIOs). Instruct the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to contact every official in charge of a local or regional jail in Virginia to confirm their 'full cooperation' with ICE in its enforcement and removal operations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
