Suspect Wanted
<bt>Sheriff's investigators have released a composite sketch of a suspect in a July assault that occurred in Sterling.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his late 20s with a shaved head. He wears a hoop earring in his ear and has a silver-colored tooth.
The suspect allegedly entered a home in the 1300 block of East Maple Avenue July 31, around 9 p.m. Then threatened and assaulted a 13-year-old girl. The suspect fled when victim's parents arrived home.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Investigator D. Canham of the Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. If the caller wishes to remain anonymous, call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information provided leads to an arrest and indictment the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
<sh>Fugitive Caught
<bt>A joint investigation between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Loudoun Sheriff's Gang Intelligence Unit led to the apprehension of an international fugitive, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Juan Elias Rodriguez-Luna, 24, was apprehended in July in Loudoun County. He had escaped from the Ciudad Barrios Prison in El Salvador in August 2005. He was serving time for homicide and is an alleged MS 13 gang member, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Earlier this summer members of the Loudoun Sheriff's Gang Intelligence Unit learned that Rodriguez-Luna may have been hiding in Loudoun County. On July 27, the Sheriff's Office joined by ICE located the suspect in a vehicle on Route 7 in the Ashburn area. He was detained on immigration charges. On Wednesday, Aug. 23, it was confirmed that Rodriguez-Luna was in fact serving time in El Salvador for murder and was an escapee from prison.
Investigators believe Rodriguez-Luna had been staying at various residences in the Northern Virginia area for the past four months. He is currently in federal custody awaiting deportation and fugitive hearings.
<sh>Penalty Changes
<bt>Effective Sept. 1, all delinquent personal property taxpayers will lose the 70 percent state credit portion of their bill and the taxpayer will become responsible for the full 100 percent of the amount owed plus penalty and interest.
Previously, taxpayers paid only 30 percent of the personal property tax for personal use, up to an assessment of $20,000. The state of Virginia remitted the remaining 70 percent to the local government. However, due to changes by the state legislature earlier this year to the Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA), this credit is no longer available after Sept. 1 for any delinquent bill dating from 2005 or prior.
Payment must be received no later than Aug. 31 and postmark dates do not apply. Contact the Treasurer's Office at 703-777-0280 for more information.
<sh>Fire Ban Extended
<bt>The Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office has extended the countywide prohibition on open burning indefinitely beginning Sept. 1. The current ban on open burning, which went into effect June 1, was scheduled to expire at midnight Aug. 31. However, due to the current dry conditions, with no long-term forecast for measurable rainfall, the ban is continued until outside conditions improve.
The only exceptions provided for under this ban are for campfires or grills used for cooking. This ban applies to all areas of Loudoun County, including the seven incorporated towns.
Any questions should be directed to the Fire Marshal's Office at 703-737-8600. Persons may also obtain more detailed information by visiting the Fire Marshal page of the Loudoun County Web site, www.loudoun.gov.
<sh>Suspect Charged
<bt>A former Loudoun man was charged Thursday, Aug. 24, in connection with a bomb threat to a county government building that occurred earlier this month.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Charles Stuart McMillion, 43, who now resides in Fairfax, has been charged with threat to bomb, a class 6 felony. The charge stems from the Aug. 1 threat to the Loudoun County Government Center that was received just before 3 p.m., which forced the evacuation of the building. No suspicious items were located.
McMillion has also been charged with phone threats and obscene language over a phone. He remains held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond.
The Sheriff's Office continues to investigate two other bomb threats to the building this year. On Feb. 27, a phone call was received before noon and a male voice stated there was a bomb in the building. As a precautionary measure the employees of the government center were evacuated. Another bomb threat was made to the Loudoun County Government Center on Aug. 3. The building was searched with nothing suspicious found.
<sh>Series of Vandalism
<bt>The Sheriff's Office is working multiple incidents of vandalism that occurred in Ashburn Village late Wednesday, Aug. 23 and into the early morning hours Thursday, Aug. 24, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The first series of incidents occurred on the north end of Ashburn Village and encompassed the 20200 block of Doswell Place where a sliding glass door was also reported to be damaged; two windows were broken at the Woods Recreation Center located in the 44000 block of Louisa Drive; and a window was later damaged at the Ashburn Elementary School on Fincastle Drive. In all of the cases windows were broken, possibly using a beer bottle. The locations are in close proximity to one another and are linked by walking paths.
Another series of vandalism occurred on the south end of Ashburn Village and included landscaping such as bushes, grass and dirt thrown into the pool at the Lakes Recreation Center in the 44070 block of Cheltenham Circle; the 21150 block of Bozman Court where subjects threw mulch onto the victim's property; and on Ashburn Village Boulevard near Mossy Glen Terrace where a deputy discovered that subjects placed objects across the roadway. In addition, a report was taken for bicycle stolen in the 20970 block of Fowlers Mill Circle and a cell phone and checkbook were taken from a vehicle parked in the 21000 block of Mossy Glen Terrace.
Anyone with information about these cases is asked to contact Ashburn Village Community Policing Deputy C. Schleiden at 703-729-0581, Ext. 123. If the caller wishes to remain anonymous they can call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information leads to an arrest and indictment the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
<sh>Summonses Issued
<bt>Sheriff's deputies issued 52 summonses Wednesday, Aug. 23, during a driver's license checkpoint in Ashburn. The checkpoint was conducted on Gloucester Parkway near Runnymeade Terrace after deputies who patrol that area came across a number of unlicensed drivers during routine traffic stops.
A total of 1,618 motor vehicles were screened through the checkpoint. Out of the 52 summonses, 19 were for drivers with no valid operator's license, five were for operators driving while suspended, and four were for no operator's license in possession. The rest, 24, were issued for nonlicense violations. In addition, there was one summons issued for an alcohol violation. Suspected narcotics were also recovered.
<sh>Haz Mat Leak
<bt>Around 9:33 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22, Loudoun County Fire-Rescue responded to a 911 call for a possible hazardous materials incident in the 46900 block of Jennings Farm Drive in Sterling. Upon arrival, crews discovered sodium hypochloride leaking from an 1,150-gallon tank truck. As a precaution, three commercial properties located in the Cedar Lake Office Park were evacuated and temporarily closed.
The leak, which was determined to be coming from a damaged supply hose on the truck, was quickly plugged. Crews estimate that approximately 100 to 150 gallons of product leaked from the truck, onto the parking lot, traveled to a nearby storm sewer and containment pond where it was contained. An environmental company was brought in to clean up the spill.
Sodium hypochloride is a concentrated bleach that is used in swimming pools.
<sh>Hacker Pleads Guilty
<bt>A Leesburg man pleaded guilty Wednesday, Aug. 23, in federal court to hacking into the computer system of a local nonprofit organization and destroying many of its files, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Andrew Hamid, 28, was charged earlier this year with computer fraud after he remotely gained access to the computer system for Prison Fellowship Ministries located on Riverside Parkway in Lansdowne. Hamid was a former employee of the organization.
Hamid pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to infiltrating the company's network Jan. 20, completely shutting it down and destroying its files. Hamid was charged after a joint investigation between the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division and the U.S. Secret Service. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
Founded in 1976, Prison Fellowship Ministries is the largest prison outreach and criminal justice reform organization in the world. Prison Fellowship Ministries' programs include outreach to prisoners and ex-prisoner transitional care, assistance to families and children of prisoners and advocacy for criminal justice reform.
<sh>Bus Service Extended
<bt>Loudoun County Transit expanded service, effective Aug. 28, and added capacity with seven new commuter coaches. Commuter bus service is now available from the Dulles South area with buses departing the park-and-ride lot in Stone Ridge and traveling to Rosslyn, the Pentagon and Washington, D.C.
The 250-space park-and-ride lot is located at the intersection of Millstream Drive and Village Center Place in the Harris Teeter shopping center. Six buses will be departing this lot beginning at 5:25-7:40 a.m. each weekday. Loudoun County Transit is also expanding other aspects of the commuter bus service, including increased capacity on existing routes that depart Purcellville, Hamilton, Leesburg and the Dulles North Transit Center; a later morning departure from the Cascades and Lowes Island park-and-ride lot to West Falls Church Metro and a later evening departure from West Falls Church Metro returning to Cascades/Lowes Island; and a new reverse commute bus service from West Falls Church Metro to Janelia Farms Ñ Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Inova Loudoun Hospital, Lansdowne and Leesburg with morning arrivals and afternoon departures.
For schedule information, visit www.loudoun.gov/bus or call the Office of Transportation Services at 703-771-5665.