Justice Department Launches Investigation Into Fairfax Attorney Over Plea Bargains, Sentencing

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dillon said the prosecutor may be offering illegal immigrants ‘sweetheart deals.’

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, Va., on Sept. 9, 2024. AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation of the sentencing and plea bargain standards used by Fairfax County, Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.

The DOJ wants to probe whether Descano’s office has violated Title VI the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or the Safe Streets Act by “discriminating based upon race, color, or national origin.”