A Virginia prosecutor is taking heat for lenient treatment of an illegal migrant who was released despite a felony charge for strangling a woman.
County Attorney Steve Descano is under fire for cutting a deal for Guatemalan national Wilmer Osmany Ramos Giron, who was arrested in January and charged with abduction by force, assault, and strangling a woman. Descano reportedly knocked down the charges in exchange for a guilty plea only on a misdemeanor charge of brandishing a blade. And the suspect was then released.
🚨New info on story I broke that showed Steve Descano’s office dropped a felony strangulation charge on a man who is in the U.S. illegally. Descano’s office told me that’s what the victim wanted. I spoke to the victim and she told me that’s not true.
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) April 7, 2025
https://t.co/iOApnoHttj
ICE officials reported that Ramos Giron has been deported two previous times, has convictions on gun charges, and other charges, and has an ICE detainer out against him. But Descano’s office did not alert them of Ramos Giron’s detention or release.
Descano handed the foreign national this deal despite that the victim filed an emergency protective order that was granted by a judge, according to WJLA-TV.
The police report says that the victim told them Ramos Giron took her keys, prevented her from leaving, and placed his hands on her neck, while threatening her with a knife. The police added that the incident was a domestic situation because Ramos Giron wanted to see his children.
Descano is also being ripped for admitting that he took immigration status into account and hoped to shield Ramos Giron from federal immigration officials.
“Wherever possible, Steve will make charging and plea decisions that limit or avoid immigration consequences,” Descano says on his website, according to the report.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares blasted Descano for his focus on immigration instead of the law.
“Think about this: He is willing to treat those that have broken our laws and come here illegally and give them a lenient sentence or plea deal than somebody that’s actually a legal citizen of the United States. That’s unconscionable to me that someone would think that is in some way protecting our community,” Miyares told the reporter. “And you know somebody like Descano clearly views himself as a social worker instead of a prosecutor. That’s not your role. Your job as a prosecutor is to vigorously protect your citizens. That’s not protecting your citizens.”
Fairfax County Criminal Justice Advisory Board member and Sean Kennedy also ripped Descano.
“It’s appalling that Fairfax’s prosecutor would protect and abet this dangerous, violent offender precisely because he is illegally present,” Kennedy said. “How does breaking one set of laws provide you immunity to break more?”
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