crime | ALXnow

Former VP of Alexandria firm indicted for allegedly embezzling $4.5M

Published May 28, 2026 at 9:15AM

The Alexandria courthouse in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

The former vice president of finance for Alexandria-based cybersecurity firm Invictus has been indicted for allegedly embezzling $4.5 million.

On May 18, a grand jury returned an indictment for Sharon Geok-Lian Lee, 47, of Loudoun County, charging her with 12 counts of felony embezzlement. An Alexandria Police Department investigation concluded that Lee allegedly used the company’s American Express credit cards, which were in her name, to make large amounts of unauthorized purchases that were billed to the company and not reimbursed, according to a release from Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter. Lee was finance director and later VP of finance at Invictus during the scheme.

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JUST IN: Jury finds Alexandria man guilty of manslaughter in West End shooting

By James Cullum

Published May 26, 2026 at 2:05PM | Updated May 26, 2026 at 2:33PM

The Franklin P. Backus Courthouse in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A jury has found Damontie Earl James guilty of voluntary manslaughter when he shot and killed his former roommate Kory Anding in an apartment in Alexandria’s West End.

James, 27, has been held without bond since his arrest following the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Kory Anding at James’ sister’s apartment at 3450 Berkeley Street on Oct. 25, 2025. Anding was the father of two children with James’ sister. James claimed he shot Anding in self-defense. James was also found guilty of unlawful shooting in an occupied building and not guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a murder.

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NEW: Alexandria man claims self-defense in fatal West End apartment shooting

By James Cullum

Published May 22, 2026 at 11:15AM | Updated May 22, 2026 at 5:26PM

A male was shot in an apartment at 3450 Berkeley Street on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

This story has been updated to provide the latest timeline on the jury verdict.

A 27-year-old Alexandria man charged with first-degree murder in the death of his former roommate has pleaded not guilty and now awaits a jury’s verdict.

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Alexandria man claims ‘wrong house’ after alleged break-in at co-worker’s relatives’ home

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2026 at 1:45PM

Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

An Alexandria man faces illegal entry and public intoxication charges after allegedly breaking into the Seminary Hill home of a co-worker’s relatives, rummaging around and stealing clothing, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

On April 9, the homeowners provided police with video surveillance showing the suspect entering the home in the 200 block of N. Quaker Lane, as well as audio of him allegedly opening kitchen cabinets, according to the affidavit. The suspect was arrested less than a mile away on a public intoxication charge, a Class 4 misdemeanor with a $250 fine. He was later charged with entering a property to damage, a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

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APD recovers video of sexual assault suspect allegedly spiking victim’s drink at Old Town bar

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2026 at 11:45AM | Updated May 22, 2026 at 11:49AM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

More details have been released regarding the former D.C. police officer facing more than two dozen felony sexual assault charges in Alexandria.

Timothy Valentin, 30, of Fort Washington, Md., goes to court in August on charges of rape by force, rape by incapacitation and abduction with intent to defile after a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in the overnight hours between Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 13, 2025.

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Four men arrested for alleged $100K copper piping theft at Inova Alexandria Hospital site

By James Cullum

Published May 12, 2026 at 2:45PM

Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark, April 13, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

One Alexandria man and three Maryland men face felony theft charges after being arrested for allegedly stealing approximately $100,000 in copper piping from the Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark construction site, according to a police search warrant affidavit.

Around 9 p.m. Saturday, April 11, a construction supervisor at the site called the Alexandria Police Department to report that the lock on a gate leading into the construction site had been cut and that more than $10,000 in tools had been stolen in the early morning hours of April 5. The construction manager later reported that more than $10,000 in tools had also been stolen the previous night, April 10.

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Alexandria police bust alleged sex trafficking at Huntington area massage parlor

By James Cullum

Published May 11, 2026 at 11:45AM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Two women are being held without bond in Alexandria after being arrested for alleged sex trafficking at a massage parlor in the Huntington area of Fairfax County, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

The two Fairfax County residents — ages 51 and 21 — were arrested Monday, May 4, and charged with sex trafficking. The arrests were made after APD, with assistance from the Virginia State Police, served a search warrant at a massage business in the 5900 block of Ashlar Way, near the city border in Huntington.

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Man arrested for allegedly issuing bad check to buy $6K watch in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published May 6, 2026 at 9:15AM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A man was arrested last month after allegedly issuing a worthless check to buy a watch in Old Town valued at more than $6,600.

The 31-year-old suspect from Salem, Va., was arrested April 29 and charged with felony grand larceny. His arrest took place more than four months after he allegedly signed over a worthless check with his real name and address to buy a watch valued at $6,678 from a jewelry store on S. Fairfax Street in Old Town.

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No bond for Alexandria man charged with ex-girlfriend’s rape, strangulation

By James Cullum

Published April 28, 2026 at 9:15AM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A 28-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond after being charged with rape, strangulation, sexual battery and domestic assault and battery, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

The victim reported at Alexandria Police Department headquarters in the early morning of Tuesday, March 24, that she was assaulted by her ex-boyfriend the night before in the 5300 block of Knole Court in the Alexandria West neighborhood. The victim told police she was assaulted at around 11 p.m. after an argument with her ex-boyfriend, who is the father of their two children, according to the search warrant affidavit.

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Two men charged after woman fights off armed robbery attempt in Braddock neighborhood

By James Cullum

Published April 22, 2026 at 2:45PM

Alexandria Police Department cruisers on Nov. 7, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A D.C. man and an Alexandria man are facing multiple charges after an attempted armed robbery in Alexandria’s Braddock neighborhood, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

The victim reported to the Alexandria Police Department that on Sunday, March 8, masked men assaulted her and attempted to rob her. The victim told police she was in her car in the 1200 block of Wythe Street when she was approached by two men wearing masks, and that one of them “grabbed her by the throat and told her to pay her $30 that she owed him,” according to the affidavit.

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State trooper injured during I-495 chase into Alexandria, suspect arrested at Metro station

By James Cullum

Published April 8, 2026 at 10:30AM | Updated April 9, 2026 at 8:37AM

Virginia State Police cruiser (staff photo)

A Virginia state trooper was injured after being struck by a vehicle on Interstate 495 near Telegraph Road in Alexandria Tuesday night while pursuing a fleeing suspect following a crash.

The suspect, Gregory S. Newton, 57, of Springfield, was later arrested with help from Metro Transit Police at the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station in D.C. He was charged with assault on a police officer, hit and run, driving on a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance and eluding police.