A Centreville woman is accused of conspiring with three inmates to smuggle heroin into the Alexandria Detention Center. Last Wednesday, July 18, a special grand jury indicted Heidee Farrish, 22, on multiple drug offenses, including conspiracy to distribute heroin, sale of heroin and conspiracy to deliver drugs to an inmate.
It also indicted three inmates: Centreville's Camilo Gomez, serving time for identify theft; Manassas' Mark Esposito, in jail for distributing OxyContin; and Dumfries' Jesse Boner, convicted of felony petit larceny.
According to Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne, an Alexandria police detective uncovered a secret scheme by which an undisclosed amount of heroin was smuggled into the city jail via the U.S. mail.
Although each package was inspected before being delivered to the inmates, Lawhorne said, those involved in the conspiracy found a way to circumvent the inspectors. He said their method was "sneaky" and "ingenious," but declined to elaborate further.
According to the indictments, from March to June, Farrish allegedly conspired with Gomez, Esposito and Boner to carry out the plan. If convicted, those charged could receive from five to 40 years in prison.
<sh>Police Impersonator Assaults Woman
<bt>Fairfax County police are looking for a man who allegedly identified himself as a police officer and then assaulted a 17-year-old South Riding girl. Police say she was driving on Route 50 west, last Thursday, July 19, around 11:50 p.m., when she saw a car behind her with a flashing blue light on the dashboard.
The teenager pulled to the right shoulder near Plaza Lane, across from the Greenbriar Town Center in Chantilly. A man then approached her driver-side window and ordered her out of the car. The girl questioned him, and the man quickly flashed some sort of badge or identification.
He again demanded that she exit the car. But when she did, say police, the man reportedly pushed her against the door and touched her inappropriately. The victim screamed, reached into her car in an attempt to blow the horn and the man drove off. The girl was not injured.
The suspect is described as white, in his 30s, about 6 feet and approximately 160 pounds. He wore dark clothing and was driving a Mercury Marquis, four door, with dark faded paint, tinted windows and factory wheel covers.
Anyone with information about this incident or the suspect is asked to call police at 703-691-2131 or Fairfax County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
<sh>Free Carseat Inspections
<bt>Certified technicians from the Sully District Police Station will perform free, child safety carseat inspections, Thursday, July 26, and Tuesday, July 31, from 5-8:30 p.m. each day, at the station, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. They’ll make sure the carseat is correct for the child’s age, height and weight, the child is securely placed in the seat, and the seat is properly installed in the vehicle.
No appointment is necessary. But residents should install the child safety seats themselves, so the technicians may properly inspect and make adjustments, as necessary. Call the Sully District Child Seat Information line (703-814-7000, ext. 5140) to confirm dates and times. For additional child seat inspection times throughout Fairfax County, call the Fairfax County Operations Support Bureau at 703-280-0559.
<sh>WFCM Collecting Backpacks
<bt>The Western Fairfax Christian Ministries is holding its annual backpack collection for students in grades K-12 now through the end of August. W F C M i s a s k i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y t o h e l p c o l l e c t b a c k p a c k s f o r d i s t r i b u t i o n t o s t u d e n t s r e c e i v i n g f r e e o r r e d u c e d l u n c h e s i n a r e a s c h o o l s . About 1 , 0 0 0 b a c k p a c k s were distributed last year. S c h o o l s u p p l i e s f o r t h e s e b a c k p a c k s w i l l b e p r o v i d e d b y K i d s -R- F i r s t o f R e s t o n . H e l p f u l h i n t s : St i c k t o b a s i c c o l o r s s u c h a s b l u e , d a r k g r e e n , b l a c k , r e d , y e l l o w , g r a y o r m a r o o n . A l s o , s c h o o l s h a v e r e q u e s t e d b a c k p a c k s w i t h o u t w h e e l s . B a c k p a c k s c a n b e d r o p p e d o f f a t W F C M i n C h a n t i l l y . For questions, c a l l W e n d y B r e s e m a n , v o l u n t e e r b a c k p a c k c o o r d i n a t o r , a t 7 0 3 - 9 8 8 - 9 6 5 6 , ext. 3 0 1 .
<sh>Blood Donations are Sought
<bt>The Inova Blood Donor Center in the Centremed I Building on Route 29 in Centreville (across from the Centreville Multiplex Cinemas) is in urgent need of blood donations — especially O positive or negative, as well as A and B. They're accepted Tuesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For an appointment to give blood, call 703-322-1970, or drop in at your own convenience.
<sh>Role Models for Children
<bt>Volunteers are needed throughout Northern Virginia to be positive role models for children who currently have an incarcerated parent. Mentors meet with children two hours per week. Weekly meetings are supplemented by monthly group recreational activities. The only qualification required is a desire to help a child in need.
To sign up for the mentor training session at the Center for Multicultural Human Services in Falls Church, call Ellen Klene, Volunteer Program manager, at 703-533-3302, ext. 107, or see www.cmhs.org.
<sh>Meals on Wheels Needs Drivers
<bt>The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging "Meals on Wheels" program is in immediate need of drivers to deliver meals, Monday through Friday, to senior adults living in Fairfax County. Volunteers who speak Vietnamese are also needed.
The job involves picking up meals at specified sites between 10:30 a.m.-noon and delivering them to seniors by 1 p.m. Drivers may choose to deliver meals on a daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly or substitute basis. Call the Fairfax AAA Volunteer Intake Line at 703-324-5406 or e-mail melanie.mitchell@fairfaxcounty.gov.