Courts Archives - Page 4 of 10 - Potomac Local News

Published January 5, 2025 at 6:48PM

Due to inclement weather, the Prince William County Judicial Center will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 6, 2025. This closure affects all courts at the Judicial Center, including the Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

The Prince William County Judicial Center, located in Manassas, is a significant facility serving the legal needs of a county with a population of over 482,000. The center houses several courtrooms, offices for judges and clerks, and resources for public access to judicial services. Its size and capacity make it a central hub for legal proceedings in one of Virginia’s most populous counties.

Manassas Park

Naresh Bhatt Waives Speedy Trial Rights as Murder and Defilement Charges Mount

By Alan Gloss

Published December 5, 2024 at 8:32AM

The Judicial Center for Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.

In front of Prince William Circuit Court Judge Kimberly A. Irving on December 4, 2024, prosecutors read the additional charges of First Degree Murder and Defiling a Dead Body to the defendant Naresh Bhatt.

He was indicted on First Degree Murder and Physically Defiling charges in the disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, in August.

Manassas Park

Charges Upgraded in Missing Manassas Park Mom’s Disappearance

By Alan Gloss

Published December 3, 2024 at 10:54AM | Updated December 8, 2024 at 6:24PM

Members of the community held a vigil for Mamta Kafle Bhatt in August 2024. Kafle Bhatt was last seen July 27, 2024 (Photo by Alan Gloss)

A Prince William County Grand Jury returned an indictment of First Degree Murder and Physically Defiling the body of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, against her husband and Manassas Park resident Naresh Bhatt.

In a Dec. 2 press conference, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo said, “I feel we have a strong case despite not having a body,” His department has been working closely with prosecutors to develop the case despite Bhatt not cooperating. “Based on the evidence at the crime scene, we knew early on we were dealing with a murder,” Lugo added, “all the evidence points to one person, and that is [Bhatt].”

Dumfries Mayor’s BBQ Operation Draws Fresh Fines, Competitor Claims Favoritism

By Alan Gloss

Published November 13, 2024 at 3:49PM | Updated November 14, 2024 at 8:31AM

Dumfries Mayor Derrick Wood at the opening of The Rose, a new gaming hotel and resort in Dumfries.

In an ongoing legal battle with the town’s Mayor, Dumfries issued new fines to Mayor Derrick Wood’s business Dyvine BBQ in Motion on Acts Lane.

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News

Andrade Sentenced to 30 Years in 2023 Manassas Park Murder

By Potomac Local News

Published November 11, 2024 at 9:44AM

Andrade

On November 7, 2024, Prince William County Circuit Court Judge Angela Horan of the Prince William County Circuit Court ordered Anthony Omar Andrade, 26, to serve 30 years in prison for the second-degree murder of his close friend, Jose Alonso Bedregal, in November 2023.

The case, prosecuted by Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Garrett Jagtiani, reached its conclusion after Andrade’s guilty plea to the murder charge, with the court sentencing him to 40 years with 10 years suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation upon his release.

Fredericksburg

Huntley Guitarist Tyler Rose Charged with Fatal Shooting of Father and Family Dog

By Alan Gloss

Published October 31, 2024 at 2:51PM | Updated October 31, 2024 at 4:25PM

Rose

A rising musician who plays for Huntley, made famous on NBC’s “The Voice” is due in a Prince William County courtroom on November 4, 2024, charged in the shooting death of his father and his dog.

Christopher Tyler Rose, guitarist for Season 24 ‘The Voice’ competition winner Michael Huntley, of Fredericksburg, aka Huntley, was taken into custody in the early hours of October 28 on charges related to a deadly shooting that left his father and the family dog dead.

News

HOMICIDE: Lt. Cmdr. Crabbe’s Bond Denied; Defense Argues Self-Defense in Husband’s Killing

By Alan Gloss

Published October 30, 2024 at 2:50PM

Marilyn Martin looks through a photo album of photos from her daughter Latoya Crabbe’s youth. Crabbe is charged with 2nd Degree Murder in the shooting death of her estranged husband Curtis Crabbe Jr. (Photo by Alan Gloss)

On October 29, a Prince William Circuit Court judge denied an appeal for bail for Dr. Latoya Crabbe, who stands accused of second-degree murder in the shooting of her husband, Curtis Crabbe Jr.

Prosecutors allege that Crabbe admitted to the October 21 shooting. Her attorney, David Daughtery, maintains it was an act of self-defense. With Judge Kimberly A. Irving’s ruling, Crabbe will remain in the Prince William County jail without bond.

News

Prince William County Supervisors Approve New Positions for Commonwealth Attorney’s Office Amid Funding Challenges

By Uriah Kiser

Published October 10, 2024 at 3:00PM

Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth (Photo: Mike Beaty)

In a meeting on October 8, 2024, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved funding for new positions in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, addressing the office’s need for additional resources to handle an increasing caseload. The positions include four new attorney roles: paralegal, victim-witness staff, and administrative staff. Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth emphasized the importance of these positions for the efficiency and effectiveness of the county’s criminal justice system.

The new hires come after Ashworth said she would withhold prosecution of certain misdemeanor charges, effective May 1, 2024, if county leaders don’t give her more employees.

News

Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Diverting $12M from Air Force Contract

By Uriah Kiser

Published October 10, 2024 at 10:49AM

From The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia:

Two executives at a contractor for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) pled guilty to theft of government property after diverting over $12 million from an Air Force contract to pay for unrelated personal and business expenses.

News

Woodbridge Killer Receives 60-Year Sentence for 2022 Double Homicide

By Aya Karouane

Published October 8, 2024 at 8:39AM

The Judicial Center for Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.

A man was sentenced to 70 years in prison, with 10 years suspended, for the May 2022 murders of two individuals in Woodbridge. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and gang participation involving a juvenile. The case stems from May 2022, when two people were found shot to death at Woodbridge Station Apartments after a resident noticed a bullet hole in his ceiling and reported it to the police. Officers discovered bullet fragments in the apartment below the victims’ residence, leading them to the tragic scene upstairs.

Press Release from The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney: