An illegal immigrant who allegedly exposed himself to one woman before trying to drag another woman into the woods at a Virginia park was arrested last year on felony drug trafficking charges but was released after sanctuary jurisdiction officials refused to cooperate with federal immigration officials, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Moises Domingo Rico Rosales, a Nicaraguan national who DHS says illegally entered the U.S. in Arizona in 2022 before being released under the Biden administration, was arrested Tuesday after Fairfax County police said he was linked to two separate incidents at Wakefield Park in Annandale, Virginia. He is now charged with abduction of a person with intent to defile and indecent exposure, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer asking Fairfax County officials not to release him, DHS said.

DHS said Rico Rosales had previously been arrested in Fairfax County in 2024 on felony drug trafficking charges, but was later released after local officials refused to honor an ICE detainer. According to local reporting, court records show the 2024 drug charges were dropped by the office of George Soros-backed Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, paving the way for his release from criminal custody.

«This criminal illegal alien exposed himself to one woman in a park and then attempted to abduct another woman the same day,» said Acting Assistant Secretary of DHS Lauren Bis. «He was previously arrested for drug trafficking in 2024, but Fairfax County sanctuary politicians refused to cooperate with ICE law enforcement and released him from jail.»

SOROS-BACKED DA’S LAX ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES LED TO ‘PREVENTABLE’ BUS STOP STABBING MURDER: COMPLAINT

«This predator was RELEASED by the Biden Administration into our country in 2022. DHS is calling on Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this criminal and instead turn him over to ICE custody. Open border and sanctuary policies have real consequences, and they are the creation of more innocent victims.»

The case is drawing renewed scrutiny to Northern Virginia’s fight over ICE detainers and sanctuary-style policies, coming months after Abdul Jalloh, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone with more than 30 prior arrests, was charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a Virginia bus stop. 

That case helped fuel a recent House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Fairfax County’s sanctuary policies, where Descano and Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid faced questions from congressional Republicans over their handling of criminal illegal immigrants and ICE detainers.

Fairfax officials have previously defended their policy by saying they do not hold inmates on ICE detainers alone without a judicial warrant. ICE detainers ask local jails to notify federal immigration authorities before an inmate’s release and hold the person briefly, so ICE can assume custody. ICE has argued that at-large arrests are more unpredictable and potentially dangerous than jail transfers.

Abdul Jalloh, 32, is accused of killing Stephanie Minter, 41, at a Virginia bus stop.  (Fairfax County Police Department; provided)

The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office pushed back on DHS’s characterization of the Rico Rosales case, telling Fox News Digital that he was booked into the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center in 2024 and that ICE filed an «informal request,» but «failed to act upon» it after a court ordered Rico Rosales released.

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«There was no judicial warrant filed by ICE,» a spokesperson for Sheriff Stacey Kincaid’s office said.

The sheriff’s office also said it does not currently have an ICE detainer on file for Rico Rosales in connection with his latest charges, despite DHS saying ICE had lodged one. The office said ICE would be able to take him into custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center if federal immigration officials file a detainer and respond when he is ordered released.

«The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office does not obstruct or prevent ICE from acting on their civil detainers,» the spokesperson said.

Kincaid’s office said its policy is not to hold inmates past their release date unless ICE presents a judicial warrant or court-issued criminal detainer. A portion of the sheriff’s office standard operating procedures provided to Fox News Digital states that, «to hold a prisoner for» Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), ICE or another immigration enforcement official, «a criminal judicial order» is required.

When asked about Rico Rosales’ charges being dropped in 2024, Laura Birnbaum, chief of staff and public information officer for Descano’s office, said there are «many reasons» why the outcome of a criminal case may differ from the initial charges, including insufficient evidence, victims not wanting to continue with prosecution, key witnesses not being present in court, defendants cooperating with police or prosecutors, defendants taking behavioral steps such as restitution or treatment, coordination with other agencies or the initial charge not reflecting what actually occurred.

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«Our office will share additional specifics about cases where possible, but we cannot jeopardize ongoing prosecutions or investigations; disclose personal information about victims or witnesses; or share non-public case information,» Birnbaum told Fox News Digital.

Birnbaum also pushed back on criticism of the office, saying, «Some right-wing activists may attempt to retrofit political motives onto certain case outcomes or claim that prosecutors have the perfect ability to predict and avert future crimes.»

Governor Spanberger has moved to limit Virginia law enforcement’s role in federal civil immigration enforcement, including rescinding Youngkin-era directives, ending state-level 287(g) agreements and signing legislation that restricts state and local law-enforcement assistance in civil immigration operations absent a judicial warrant or subpoena. However, her office argues local jail custody decisions, including in Fairfax County, are made by local officials rather than the governor.

Abdul Jalloh, a 32-year-old man from Sierra Leone who DHS says entered the U.S. illegally in 2012, was arrested for allegedly fatally stabbing a 41-year-old woman in Fairfax County and has an extensive prior criminal history. (Department of Homeland Security/Getty Images)

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«Governor Spanberger strongly believes violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported. Under Governor Spanberger’s leadership, the Virginia Department of Corrections continues the long-standing practice of notifying ICE when individuals born outside of the United States are in state custody. Virginia state law enforcement agencies also continue to participate in task forces and inter-agency cooperation with federal agencies,» a statement from Spanberger’s office provided to Fox News Digital said.

«As a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators, Governor Spanberger will always prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginia’s families,» her office continued.

After spending 10 days in an induced coma following a shark attack on a Sydney, Australia beach, a woman uttered her first three words this week.

Leah Stewart awoke and told her family, «I love you» on Tuesday while recuperating at a hospital, according to her brother, who wrote the update on a fundraising page.

«After a week of life-support and repeat[ed] surgeries, doctors were able to extubate Leah and reduce her level of sedation to bring her out of the induced coma for a short period of time,» Stewart said. «This allowed Leah to share her first words ‘I love you’ with her Mum and partner Fernando who have been by her side in ICU since the incident.»

He added that his sister’s «first thoughts were with her daughter August,» asking if she was OK.

SHARK ATTACK TURNS HOLIDAY BOATING TRIP INTO BLOODY FIGHT FOR TEEN’S SURVIVAL

The mid-30s mother and teacher has already been through five surgeries, including having an arm amputated.

She had been airlifted to a hospital in critical condition on the morning of June 13 at Coogee Beach, a popular weekend destination, after a shark bit her legs and arms.

HEART-POUNDING VIDEO SHOWS FISHERMAN LEAPING INTO OCEAN TO SAVE GREAT WHITE SHARK

Stewart told her family that she loved them. (GoFundMe)

Stewart was swimming near shore while a friend watched her daughter on the beach when the attack happened, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

«This is a lot faster than anyone expected, and for us this feels like a miracle and is everything so many of us have hoped and prayed for over the past week,» Stewart wrote on a fundraising page.

Police and emergency personnel at the scene after a shark attack at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia, June 13. (Reuters/Hollie Adams)

He added, «Leah has a long road ahead and still remains in critical care, but this is such a positive first step and gives us hope for Leah’s long-term recovery.»

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Stewart’s attack came after three men have been killed by sharks in Australia since May. A 12-year-old boy was also killed by a shark in Sydney Harbor in January.

Una modelo colombiana fue encontrada muerta dentro de una valija en un departamento de alquiler temporario en el norte de Bogotá. Se trata de Natalia Villalba Angarita, de 36 años.

El hallazgo se produjo el lunes en un edificio ubicado en el barrio Chicó Norte, en la localidad de Chapinero. Una empleada de limpieza entró al departamento luego de no obtener respuesta de los ocupantes y encontró una valija gris abierta dentro de la ducha del baño. En su interior estaba el cuerpo de Villalba.

Según confirmaron las autoridades, la modelo estaba hospedada desde el 3 de junio bajo la modalidad de alquiler temporario y tenía previsto quedarse hasta el 21 de junio. A partir de ese momento comenzó una investigación que reconstruye sus últimos movimientos y los de las personas que ingresaron al departamento durante las semanas previas al espeluznante hallazgo.

De acuerdo con información difundida por Noticias Caracol, los registros del edificio indican que entre el 3 y el 7 de junio existió una reserva vinculada a un ciudadano estadounidense, procedente de Texas. Luego, Villalba habría renovado la estadía hasta el 21 de junio.

Durante ese período se registró el ingreso de al menos 15 personas al espacio. Entre ellas, figura un británico que llegó el 17 de junio y se retiró al día siguiente.

Las cámaras de seguridad no solo captaron su entrada y salida: en una de las grabaciones, se lo ve llevando sábanas hacia el sector de lavandería. Ese detalle llamó especialmente la atención de los investigadores, ya que el hombre sería la última persona que tuvo contacto con la víctima antes de su muerte.

Uno de los aspectos que sorprende tiene que ver con la forma en que fue abandonado el cuerpo. La valija permanecía con una pequeña abertura y estaba ubicada debajo de una ducha que había quedado abierta.

Fuentes vinculadas al caso señalaron que esa situación pudo haber alterado el estado del cadáver y deteriorado posibles evidencias. “El agua entró a la maleta y afectó el estado del cuerpo de la joven que ya llevaba varios días expuesta al líquido. Eso pudo borrar ciertas huellas e incluso causarle lesiones en la piel que dificultarían un poco determinar cómo murió”, explicó un investigador al diario El Tiempo.

En ese sentido, consideró que la disposición del cuerpo dentro del baño no habría sido casual: “La persona que dejó ahí el cuerpo sabía que el agua alteraría la escena”.

La causa también abrió una nueva línea de investigación luego de que los peritos encontraran dos pasaportes pertenecientes a la víctima, pero con diferencias en la identidad registrada. En uno figuraba como Natalia Villalba Rubiano y en otro como Rubiano Angarita.

A raíz de este descubrimiento, las autoridades comenzaron a revisar sus movimientos migratorios. Hasta el momento se confirmó que había hecho viajes recientes a Río de Janeiro y a Madrid. Los investigadores buscan determinar si esos desplazamientos guardan alguna relación con las personas que estuvieron con ella en los días previos a su muerte.

Leé también: Le mandó un huevo de Pascua envenenado a la novia de su expareja y mató a dos nenes: la condenaron a 66 años de cárcel

En paralelo, la atención se concentra en el ciudadano británico, quien abandonó Colombia poco después de los hechos. La posibilidad de que haya salido del país activó mecanismos de cooperación internacional y no se descarta que la Fiscalía solicite una notificación de Interpol para localizarlo y tomarle declaración.

Por el momento no hay personas imputadas, aunque al menos dos hombres permanecen bajo observación.

Los investigadores analizan pruebas físicas, biológicas y toxicológicas recolectadas en la escena. También avanzan sobre las grabaciones de las cámaras de seguridad, los registros de ingreso al edificio y los testimonios de familiares, amigos y personas que estuvieron con la modelo en sus últimos días, piezas clave para intentar esclarecer qué ocurrió.