Nearly a year has passed since a Centreville man invaded a McLean home, terrified the couple inside and robbed them. But on Dec. 22, Jong Kuk Choi, 37, of 13701 Winding Oak Circle, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The incident occurred last Feb. 14, around 9:45 a.m., at a home near the intersection of Lewinsville and Spring Hill roads in Tysons Corner. Two people were home at the time and answered a knock at their door.
According to Fairfax County police, the two men identified themselves as police officers, so the occupants let them in. And before they knew it, they were victims of a daring, daylight, home invasion.
"Both men were brandishing handguns," said police. "The two suspects tied up the couple, both in their mid-to-late 40s, and ransacked the home."
The men fled in a black Mazda, and the victims eventually freed themselves and ran to a neighbor's home for help. Police said jewelry and other items were stolen from the home.
A few hours after the robbery, a surveillance photo — reportedly of the same two men — was taken at the Hecht's store at Landmark Mall in Alexandria. Said police: "They used a credit card taken from the victims to purchase clothing."
On March 20, police arrested two suspects in Los Angeles. They apprehended Choi, April 12, at his home in Centreville.
All three were charged with two counts each of robbery, abduction and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, plus one count each of burglary and impersonating a police officer.
Later in General District Court, the firearm and impersonation charges against Choi were dropped. But a June 19 grand jury indicted him on the robbery, abduction and burglary charges.
On Sept. 20, before Judge Randy Bellows in Fairfax County Circuit Court, the burglary charge was dropped, but Choi pleaded guilty to two counts of abduction and two counts of robbery.
He returned Dec. 22 for sentencing and, at that time, Bellows sentenced him to 20 years in prison, with 10 years suspended, on each count. He then ran the sentences concurrently, leaving Choi with 10 years total to serve. The judge also placed him on 99 years of supervised probation, following his release.