HERNDON, VA - Authorities confirmed that an illegal immigrant from Honduras has been charged with raping a woman on a popular hiking trail outside of Washington, D.C. days after he was released from jail on another sex crime charge.
According to the New York Post, officials with the Herndon Police Department (HPD) said that this is the first sexual assault of its kind in the small town in more than a decade. Police chief Maggie DeBoard said in a statement, "This is the only stranger rape that we have had in the town in my more than 12 years as chief of police."
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin slammed local officials for allowing the serial sex offender to be released back into the community instead of being turned over to ICE and deported back to Honduras.
Youngkin said in a statement, "I am heartsick for the victim and outraged that local Fairfax County officials recklessly release violent illegal immigrants who should have been prosecuted and deported. This is a dereliction of their most basic duty to keep people safe. Prioritizing violent illegal immigrants over the safety of Fairfax residents is unacceptable."
For the record, Virginia is not a sanctuary state, so there is no known reason this individual should not have been handed over to ICE for deportation. Officers arrested 31-year-old Denis Humberto Navarette Romero on charges of intent to defile and rape. He is a Honduran national who has been residing in the United States illegally. Police said that his rap sheet spans several years.
Romero was released from jail just four days before his arrest on Monday, November 18th. He was arrested at the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, which is about 25 miles west of D.C. He was released from jail on November 14th after serving just half of a 50-day sentence for indecent exposure. He was released early due to his "good behavior" while incarcerated.
According to police, the victim was on the busy walking trail when he allegedly grabbed her arm, forced her to the ground and raped her just before 9:00 p.m. Police said that the victim did not know her attacker before the assault. Police arrived on scene after a bystander called for her. Romero was arrested within minutes.
DeBoard said that Romero has a history of sexual assault in the town and surrounding areas. She said, "What is disturbing is the number of times this individual has been arrested and released. He has continued to reoffend and his behavior has escalated to a rape in a very public area."
Romero's sex crime spree began in 2018 when Herndon police received a report that he had allegedly touched a 14-year-old inappropriately. That incident triggered a Fairfax County sex crimes investigation, which uncovered that he had also exposed himself to. 10-year-old and a 13-year-old the year prior.
His first arrest, however, didn't come until four years later when he choked a Herndon cop responding to another one of his deviant acts. He was charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer, but the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney downgraded the charge to a misdemeanor assault in exchange for a guilty plea.
His most recent time behind bars was due to an October 19th indecent exposure arrest. The victim in that incident, Jennifer Pugh, said that his obscene exhibition is what prompted her to file a police report. She said, "He kept coming trying to grab my dog. Then he was trying to come after me he was saying stuff. He didn't speak English and then all of a sudden he started pulling his stuff out. I said, 'There's Ring cameras all around, you know' and he didn't care."
He is now being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center as he awaits a preliminary hearing. The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office said it notifies ICE each time they arrest an undocumented individual, but the department's lawyer allegedly said that of the four times Romero has been in their custody, they never received a detainer or warrant from the agency.
DeBoard said, "It's frustrating because I tell the community you should feel safe here and I do believe they are safe here, I truly do, but when you have cases like this, I look at this and see some part of the system ... if it was all working together, if there was a way to make it work, this never would have happened."
Youngkin said that the policies that allowed Romero to run amok in the community won't fly come 2025, adding, "When President Trump takes office, the political posturing will end and localities will cooperate with ICE to protect Virginians."
According to the New York Post, officials with the Herndon Police Department (HPD) said that this is the first sexual assault of its kind in the small town in more than a decade. Police chief Maggie DeBoard said in a statement, "This is the only stranger rape that we have had in the town in my more than 12 years as chief of police."
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin slammed local officials for allowing the serial sex offender to be released back into the community instead of being turned over to ICE and deported back to Honduras.
Youngkin said in a statement, "I am heartsick for the victim and outraged that local Fairfax County officials recklessly release violent illegal immigrants who should have been prosecuted and deported. This is a dereliction of their most basic duty to keep people safe. Prioritizing violent illegal immigrants over the safety of Fairfax residents is unacceptable."
For the record, Virginia is not a sanctuary state, so there is no known reason this individual should not have been handed over to ICE for deportation. Officers arrested 31-year-old Denis Humberto Navarette Romero on charges of intent to defile and rape. He is a Honduran national who has been residing in the United States illegally. Police said that his rap sheet spans several years.
Romero was released from jail just four days before his arrest on Monday, November 18th. He was arrested at the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, which is about 25 miles west of D.C. He was released from jail on November 14th after serving just half of a 50-day sentence for indecent exposure. He was released early due to his "good behavior" while incarcerated.
According to police, the victim was on the busy walking trail when he allegedly grabbed her arm, forced her to the ground and raped her just before 9:00 p.m. Police said that the victim did not know her attacker before the assault. Police arrived on scene after a bystander called for her. Romero was arrested within minutes.
DeBoard said that Romero has a history of sexual assault in the town and surrounding areas. She said, "What is disturbing is the number of times this individual has been arrested and released. He has continued to reoffend and his behavior has escalated to a rape in a very public area."
Romero's sex crime spree began in 2018 when Herndon police received a report that he had allegedly touched a 14-year-old inappropriately. That incident triggered a Fairfax County sex crimes investigation, which uncovered that he had also exposed himself to. 10-year-old and a 13-year-old the year prior.
His first arrest, however, didn't come until four years later when he choked a Herndon cop responding to another one of his deviant acts. He was charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer, but the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney downgraded the charge to a misdemeanor assault in exchange for a guilty plea.
His most recent time behind bars was due to an October 19th indecent exposure arrest. The victim in that incident, Jennifer Pugh, said that his obscene exhibition is what prompted her to file a police report. She said, "He kept coming trying to grab my dog. Then he was trying to come after me he was saying stuff. He didn't speak English and then all of a sudden he started pulling his stuff out. I said, 'There's Ring cameras all around, you know' and he didn't care."
He is now being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center as he awaits a preliminary hearing. The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office said it notifies ICE each time they arrest an undocumented individual, but the department's lawyer allegedly said that of the four times Romero has been in their custody, they never received a detainer or warrant from the agency.
DeBoard said, "It's frustrating because I tell the community you should feel safe here and I do believe they are safe here, I truly do, but when you have cases like this, I look at this and see some part of the system ... if it was all working together, if there was a way to make it work, this never would have happened."
Youngkin said that the policies that allowed Romero to run amok in the community won't fly come 2025, adding, "When President Trump takes office, the political posturing will end and localities will cooperate with ICE to protect Virginians."
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