Prince William County Assistant prosecutor D. Burke Walker told Circuit Court Judge Angela Horan that his office would file a motion on the first day of trial not to prosecute Latoya Crabbe on her 2nd-degree murder charge but instead will move to indict her on 1st-degree murder charge.

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The statement, released during the commission’s monthly meeting, seeks to reassure residents that county protections remain in place regardless of potential changes at the federal level brought on by President Trump’s executive order "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.”

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The president framed the order as a defense of women's athletics against unfair competition, stating, "Under the Trump administration, we will defend the proud tradition of female athletes, and we will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and our girls. From now on, women’s sports will only be for women."

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Amid heightened immigration enforcement under President Trump’s executive orders, local communities are grappling with confusion and fear sparked by social media posts warning of ICE raids and undercover operations.

The president issued numerous Executive Orders, some of which reinforced the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. In addition to targeted raids on known criminals across the country, the Trump administration has mobilized troops at the U.S.-Mexico border and reinstated the previous “Remain in Mexico” policy. This policy requires individuals seeking asylum to stay outside the U.S. while awaiting a decision on their applications.

These enforcement measures have sparked concern among those residing in the country illegally. Despite the Trump administration’s assurances that it is focusing on illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, certain groups have seized on the uncertainty, pushing political agendas that confuse the undocumented community, causing fear and confusion. Numerous social media posts, in both English and Spanish, warn people to avoid common locations like grocery stores and shopping centers to prevent encounters with ICE.

Meg Carroll, a retired Manassas City Police Lieutenant and current manager of the Georgetown South Community Council Foundation posted a photo online of a Jeep with standard Virginia plates leaving the Georgetown South neighborhood in Manassas. In the post, she claimed, in both English and Spanish, “I can confirm that ICE is in the area traveling in unmarked cars with all windows blacked out,” seemingly using her law enforcement background to lend credibility to her assertion that ICE officers were operating undercover in the area. Carroll did not respond to a request for comment before publication.

Aeshah Sheikh, chief of staff for Virginia Senator Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37 Fairfax), and wife of Raheel Sheikh, the current Occoquan Planning Commissioner and former Democratic Party candidate for the Coles District Board of County Supervisors, also shared an alert claiming ICE presence in Manassas. When asked what the post aimed to achieve, Sheikh did not respond to requests for clarification.

These are just two of many social media posts we reviewed—some from individuals trying to inform the community, but most contributing to unnecessary panic with exaggerated claims.

Community leaders are calling for calm.

Prince William County’s Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega expressed concern over the spread of misinformation and fear-mongering, particularly by groups and individuals claiming to represent the Hispanic community. She said in an emailed statement, “They are promoting false narratives about ‘raids’ targeting churches and schools in our county, despite there being no evidence to support these claims.”

Manassas City Councilwoman Sonia Vasquez Luna, a legal immigrant from El Salvador, shared that she had encountered similar posts urging people to avoid certain areas and warning about ICE vehicles using plate readers to identify undocumented individuals.

Vasquez Luna explained that these claims play on the fear that people in the country illegally must disclose personal information, like their birthplace and current address when registering their vehicles. Those critical of the activist groups say they manipulate these fears to push a narrative that frightens the very people they claim to help. While she understands why immigrants would have these fears, Vasquez Luna advised the public to consult immigration lawyers to better understand what immigration officials can and cannot do.

When asked if the Biden administration’s open border policies contributed to the rapid enforcement measures under Trump, Vasquez Luna refrained from placing blame solely on Biden: “All administrations are to blame for what is happening because no one has done anything to really address it.”

Vega emphasized that “immigration officials have to act within the confines of the law,” and that the rules immigration officers follow do not differ for those living in the country illegally.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees Fourth Amendment protections, ensuring that individuals are secure in their persons and property and cannot be forced to produce citizenship documents on demand. It also prohibits searches of homes without a valid warrant or exigent circumstances. The Fifth and Sixth Amendments also grant rights to refuse to answer questions from officials and to be represented by a lawyer, regardless of immigration status.

Prince William County police outlined its stance on immigration enforcement in their manual, which states that officers do not assist in civil immigration enforcement and generally are not permitted to inquire about an individual’s immigration status during routine interactions. The policy emphasizes that officers will protect victims and witnesses of crimes, irrespective of their immigration status, in an effort to encourage crime reporting.

In a series of tweets, Manassas City Police acknowledged the growing concerns prompted by social media posts, including allegations of immigration checkpoints. However, they clarified their position: “The Manassas City Police Department has not, and will not, undertake any type of immigration-related investigations. We are not authorized to enforce federal immigration laws and cannot lawfully do so.” They encouraged residents to contact the non-emergency line with any concerns, regardless of their immigration status.

Regarding protections for crime victims, Manassas Police spokesman Brett Stumpf reminded the community that Virginia law protects residents who report crimes, witness incidents, or are victims, regardless of their immigration status.

One of President Trump’s recent Executive Orders removes the designation of certain sensitive places, such as schools and houses of worship, as safe zones from immigration enforcement. This change allows for enforcement in these areas, which were previously used as refuges by individuals seeking to evade immigration authorities.

Vega, who works as a Prince William County Sheriff’s Deputy, stated, “It is possible that criminals seeking to evade the law may try to exploit our places of worship and schools.”

She also cautioned against relying on information from groups with potential political motives, saying, “These fear-mongering tactics are being used to manipulate and divide our community, not protect it. These groups prioritize personal gain and political agendas over the well-being of the people they claim to serve.”

The Laken Riley Act, signed into law last Wednesday by President Trump, expands the list of crimes that trigger mandatory detention for non-citizens arrested or charged with offenses like rape, theft, assault on a police officer, or crimes that result in injury or death. It also allows states severely impacted by the migrant crisis to sue federal officials who fail to act. This bipartisan law passed both chambers of Congress with broad support.

Activists have focused their efforts on two local congressmen, Eugene Vindman and Suhas Subramanyan, who were among the 50 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 12 in the Senate who joined Republicans in voting for the law to remove criminal immigrants.

“You know what they called Obama, right? Deporter-in-Chief,” Vasquez Luna said, alluding to the fact that former President Obama deported more than 3.1 million people to the US illegally. During Trump’s first term, he deported about 1 million. Now, in his second term, immigration officials have arrested 5,500, but Trump vows to deport “a lot more.”

A Manassas man who brought an Uzi to Manassas Mall got a lenient sentence after Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth offered him a sweetheart deal to close out two separate cases related to the mall shooting and a separate case where jail officials alleged he participated in a jailhouse beating with five other men who cornered and beat three members of a rival gang.

Daevon Russell, 19, of 9306 Taney Road in Manassas, who at the time, was on pre-trial probation for a 2023 Manassas City shooting that left another teen paralyzed from the neck down, went to the Manassas Mall on July 9, 2024, armed with the Uzi and got into an altercation with another group of teens in the food court.

The altercation spilled outside into the mall parking lot when the shooting began. An innocent bystander and one of the combatants suffered gunshot wounds. The stipulations of his earlier pretrial release required him not to possess weapons, and Virginia law bars those under 21 from possessing handguns.

Originally charged with six felonies and six misdemeanors, Russell faced decades in prison. Ashworth’s agreement dismissed all of the felony charges and gave him a total of one year in jail and four years of Local Offender’s Probation for the misdemeanor charges and allowed him to retain both voting and gun rights. Russell admitted to owning the gun but did not get charged with possessing it under the age of 21.

Ashworth told Potomac Local News that there may have been issues with the case. “The prosecutor handling any case must always consider the strength of the evidence, the availability and willingness of witnesses to testify, the chances of succeeding at trial, the likely sentence if we are successful at trial, and the victim’s position regarding the outcome of the case as we evaluate how to proceed with a case. It is always our intention to seek justice and keep the community safe.”

Ashworth, when asked about Russell keeping his gun rights, which are normally removed from those convicted of felony offenses, said, “If there are consequences regarding his gun rights, you’ll have to look at the appropriate code sections.”  Virginia code does not prevent those convicted of only misdemeanor charges from further possessing weapons.

Despite being sentenced to one year in jail and only being in custody for six months, Prince William Adult Detention Center officials confirm Russell’s confinement for all five cases ended on January 9, 2025, just one day after Circuit Court Judge Angela Horan and General District Court Judge Che’ Rogers accepted his plea agreement. He is still being held without bond for the 2023 shooting where he is scheduled to appear at trial March 3, 2025 to answer to those charges.

Both men injured in the Mall shooting have recovered.

The Manassas City Council began its three-day retreat on Thursday at James Madison’s historic Montpelier, located over 80 miles south of the city. The event quickly raised concerns about public access after members of the public who traveled to attend the meeting discovered the venue was locked and inaccessible.

Virginia law mandates that government meetings remain open to the public unless they are specifically classified as legal closed-door sessions. According to Virginia’s open meetings laws, the Council’s work session and retreat did not qualify as a closed-door meeting, raising questions about compliance.

Former Councilwoman Lynn Forkell Green attended the event and confirmed the gate to the complex was locked. “I couldn’t get in. Had I not had the cell numbers of council members, I would not have gained access because the meeting space was more than a mile past the gate, and the complex was closed,” Forkell Green said. While she was able to contact a council member who provided the entry code, she noted that most members of the public would not have such relationships or access.

This is not the first time the city has faced scrutiny over potential violations of open meetings laws. In July, Potomac Local News identified that Manassas had held several meetings without the required public notice and had ceased sending email notifications to residents who specifically requested them, as required by Virginia law. At that time, Potomac Local News chose not to publicize these issues immediately, as the city was undergoing significant changes, including a transition in the Clerk’s office and construction at City Hall. The city had also promised to improve communication and public access to meetings—a commitment aligned with the Virginia open meetings law.

Following the discovery of these deficiencies, the city issued a statement and pledged reforms, including:

• Ensuring the kiosk outside City Hall is updated monthly or when meetings are scheduled or changed, as required by VA Code §2.2-3707(D).
• Placing clear and visible signage at various public meeting locations (e.g., the Art Factory, Public Safety building, Jennie Dean) to alert the public when meetings are open.
• Posting meeting notices outside the Clerk’s Office during business hours and duplicating these notices in the front window of City Hall for 24/7 visibility.
• Publishing meeting notices prominently on the city’s website, including the main page and online Council calendar.
• Testing subscription links to ensure residents subscribing to public meeting notices are immediately added to the city’s email list.
• Contacting 2024 subscribers to apologize for missed notifications and offering immediate renewal.
• Updating FOIA officer contact information on the website and with the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council.

The city implemented these changes in response to the earlier issues.

On Friday, the gates were unlocked, but a new sign was posted at the entrance stating “PRIVATE EVENT” and “CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.” The Montpelier complex is privately owned, and the posted sign legally bars entry.

The city has not yet responded to Potomac Local News’ request for comment regarding the retreat and public access concerns.

The City Council planned to tackle multiple topics during the retreat, including updates to the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, a review of the 2024 community survey results, and discussions on public priorities such as traffic flow, public education, public safety, and affordable housing.

The agenda also included financial planning and budget discussions covering FY2024 audit results, FY2025 budget highlights, and revenue estimates. Other topics included updates on employee recruitment and retention efforts, economic prosperity, community vitality, transformative mobility, and the city’s future projects and capital improvement programs.

Jesus Enrique Ramirez Cabrera, 23, of Manassas, appeared in a Prince William County court Thursday, January 23, for a preliminary hearing related to his arrest last fall after he was accused of abducting a Manassas City school girl at a city bus stop.

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Updated –Members of the community gathered to honor the Manassas Park police department for their diligent efforts in the investigation of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a mother who has not been seen since July 2024. The recognition ceremony highlighted the role of law enforcement in uncovering key evidence in the high-profile case.

During the ceremony, 11 officers from the Manassas Park Police Department were presented with traditional Topi headdresses provided by Kafle Bhatt’s Nepalese family. Sunita Basnet Thapa, a coworker and mentor to Kafle Bhatt during her nursing career, explained the cultural significance of the Topi. “The headdress is traditionally presented to Nepalese men to identify them as honorable and hardworking,” she said.

This ceremony represents how far the police relationship with the community has developed. Early into the disappearance, residents harbored animosity toward what they perceived as police inaction and organized rallies and search parties to put pressure on local officials during the 22 days of her disappearance before police arrested the missing woman’s husband, Naresh Bhatt, on August 22, 2024.

Holly Wirth, another coworker of Kafle Bhatt, emphasized the importance of recognizing police contributions at this stage of the case. “We don’t have closure. We don’t have full justice. The truth is, what we have is only the work you did to bring us to this point. What happens now is really out of the control of the Police Department,” Wirth said.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt was last seen on July 30, 2024. Early in the investigation, police determined she was presumed dead. Her husband faces multiple charges related to her murder. Law enforcement alleges that Mamta was killed in her home, her body dismembered, and the remains disposed of in various trash receptacles across Northern Virginia.

A search of the home found what police describe as large pools of blood in the master bedroom and bathroom that had been cleaned; however, crime scene investigators used technology that allowed them to see where blood had been.

A significant development in the investigation came when the police obtained a warrant for GPS data from the couple’s Tesla. Police allege the data shows Naresh Bhatt’s movements in the days after she was last seen as he disposed of evidence. Forensic analysis matched DNA found on a reciprocating saw in the home to hair from Kafle Bhatt’s hairbrush, further substantiating the charges. Despite the GPS data, no human remains have been found despite dozens of searches.
Naresh Bhatt, a former contractor for the U.S. Secret Service, remains in custody at the Prince William Adult Detention Center without bond. Initially charged with concealing a dead body, the charges were later upgraded to include first-degree murder and defiling a dead body.

CourtTV, a cable TV broadcaster providing legal analysis of live court cases, has petitioned the Circuit Court to televise the trial. As of now, the court has not scheduled a hearing to address this request.

Bhatt’s trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2025, and is expected to last 16 days.

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