(The Center Square) – Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is demanding Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano transfer the case of a registered sex offender to the attorney general’s office
Miyares says Descano has failed “to fully investigate the matter.”
Miyares cites reports that Richard Kenneth Cox, a Tier III registered sex offender, “was convicted for taking indecent liberties with children by exposing himself multiple children” during the 1990s, including “publicly masturbating in front of children inside an Arlington gymnasium.”
Cox, according to published reports, claims to be a woman. Cox is accused of a June exposure incident inside a women’s bathroom at Fairfax County Planet Fitness, and violation of terms of his sex offender registration requirements in November.
Miyares underscored in a letter to Descano that Tier III sexual offenses are “among the most serious under Virginia law” and require those offenders to remain on sex offender registries for life.
The attorney general pointed to publicly available court records that show Descano dismissed the June charges against Cox the following month.
Miyares said Descano’s “refusal of his office to properly examine the merits of this complaint is completely unacceptable.”
The attorney general is accusing the commonwealth attorney of turning Virginia’s most populous country into a “safe haven for criminals and a nightmare for law-abiding families.”
“Prompt action on this case may have averted subsequent incidents of indecent exposure alleged to have been committed in Arlington County,” Miyares wrote. “This Fairfax Planet Fitness location is immediately adjacent to a children’s indoor play and learning center. As you should know, Tier III offenders are prohibited from extended presence within 100 feet of a child day program.”
The attorney general said Descano continues to “put criminals first, victims last” and communities at risk.
“Instead of acting like a prosecutor, Descano plays social worker, failing his constituents. Since Descano has failed to do his job, my office will do it for him,” Miyares wrote.
The latest action by Miyares follows years of public feuding between the two attorneys, with Miyares accusing Descano of being soft on crime.
Descano has yet to respond to Miyares’ demands at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for governor, pounced on the latest accusations against Descano by challenging her potential Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, to speak out.
Writing on social media, Earle-Sears said, “When will Abigail Spanberger speak out about this? This predator should be sitting in a cell unable to hurt anymore innocent young women. Instead, she remains quiet. Steve Descano and other electeds like him allow these predators to roam our streets. It’s beyond time for Descano to go and any other elected official like him.”
