Winsome Sears Demands Recall of Fairfax Prosecutor Over Crime and Immigration Failures

Virginia’s Republican lieutenant governor slams Democrat Steve Descano for releasing dangerous criminals, tying his record to Abigail Spanberger.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, now running for governor, is calling for the immediate recall of Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, citing repeated failures to keep dangerous offenders off the streets. Her criticism comes after a man released from county custody allegedly attempted a kidnapping just three days later.

“Why is this man still in office? It is time for somebody to do a recall based on a dereliction of duty, and it can be done. If I were to keep telling you how many cases that this man, Steve Descano, has allowed to let go, doesn’t honor ICE detainers, puts murderers back in the community, et cetera, et cetera, it’s like, what are we doing?” Sears told Fox News Digital.

The Republican candidate said Descano has consistently failed to protect Fairfax County residents, warning that the impact of his leniency extends far beyond county lines. “These criminals – they don’t just stay in Fairfax. They come all the way through Virginia and do their mayhem when he, one man, had the opportunity to do the right thing and keep Virginians safe,” she added.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered an investigation into the Democratic prosecutor following the widely reported Fair Oaks Mall incident, where the suspect, Andres Caceres Jaldin, had more than 30 prior encounters with law enforcement. This case is only the latest in a troubling pattern in which Descano’s office has allowed high-risk offenders to walk free.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has also blasted Descano’s approach, accusing him of going easy on illegal immigrants accused of violent crimes. Among the most notable cases: Navarette Romero, an illegal immigrant charged with rape, was released back into the community; and Wilmer Osmany Ramos-Giron, a Guatemalan national facing serious felony charges, served just two months in a Fairfax detention center before being arrested by ICE.

Sears is also pressing her Democrat opponent, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, to take a clear stance. “Abigail, it is time for you to come forward and make a decision. Do you support Steve Descano or do you support a recall?” she said, noting that Descano’s campaign contributed $1,000 to Spanberger’s gubernatorial bid earlier this year.

Immigration enforcement remains central to Sears’s platform. She pointed to her work alongside former President Donald Trump’s administration, which led to identifying over 500 criminal illegal immigrants in Virginia — including dangerous international gangs such as Tren de Aragua.

Youngkin has vowed that the public will get answers. Miyares echoed that commitment, saying his office “will examine the facts and report to the people of Fairfax why [Commonwealth’s Attorney] Descano’s refusal to prosecute criminals has been allowed to endanger the public.”