Commonwealth’s Attorney: Arlington County and City of Falls Church

Visit Arlington Moms Demand Action at the Arlington Courthouse garden until 6pm! Learn more about gun safety, gun violence prevention, and be sure to spin the wheel for a fun prize! 🧡

Join us on Monday, June 8, 2026 from 4:30-6:00 PM, on Capitol Hill, for a panel discussion on Prosecutorial Independence & Democracy, hosted by Prosecutor Alliance Action.

The Hon. Parisa Dehghani-Tafti will be a featured panelist, along with Cristine Soto DeBerry, Executive Director, Prosecutors Alliance Action, Rachel Rossi, President, Alliance for Justice, and Somil Trivedi, Advocacy Director & Senior Counsel, Court Accountability.

We hope to see you there!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[email protected]
June 3, 2026

NOT All Thrown Out: Arlington Prosecutors Confirm Cox Indictments Under Active Appeal

June 3, 2026, Arlington, VA — Yesterday, a WJLA (7News) news article, containing a misleading headline regarding Commonwealth v. Cox was published. Contrary to the headline’s assertion, the indictments related to loitering charges do not mean the end of the charges against Mr. Cox.

Rather, the matter is part of an ongoing legal process. Following a ruling at the trial court level, the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney took prompt action to challenge a ruling that the loitering statute, with which Mr. Cox was charged, was unconstitutionally vague. The Commonwealth immediately appealed the trial court’s decision on April 15, 2026. An interlocutory appeal such as this, while other charges remain pending, is unusual.

The Court of Appeals of Virginia granted the petition for appeal on May 12, 2026. The Office of the Attorney General, led by Attorney General Jay Jones, currently represents the Commonwealth on this appeal -- as it typically does on appeals. That process requires briefing of the issues by the Commonwealth, a response from the defendant, and a reply from the Commonwealth, and possibly oral argument in front of the Court of Appeals.

While appeals by defendants are routine, the Commonwealth is permitted to appeal under very limited circumstances, such as these, where a statute was held to be unconstitutional before trial. The case remains active in two ways: first, the appeal is active and if the Circuit Court’s ruling is overturned, the Commonwealth will proceed with the loitering charges. Second, there are remaining charges live and pending, but on hold until the resolution of the appeal: five counts of indecent liberties with a minor, five counts of indecent exposure, violations related to a Tier III s*x offender’s proximity to children, and one count of identity theft.

Regardless of what the appellate court decisions are regarding the constitutionality of the loitering statute, Mr. Cox will be tried on the remaining charges, and will be sentenced on the charges for which he has already been convicted: two counts of possession of child po*******hy, which together carry a possible sentence of up to 20 years of incarceration.

Commonwealth’s Attorney, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, while emphasizing that Virginia Rules of Professional Responsibility require attorneys to refrain from making public comment on pending cases likely to go to trial, said, “The Commonwealth remains committed to ensuring that the law is applied correctly and consistently, and to pursuing justice through all appropriate legal channels. We urge the public and media outlets to rely on accurate descriptions of court proceedings as the case continues to move forward.”

Find our official press statement here: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Commonwealth-Attorney/Commonwealth%E2%80%99s-Attorney-News/Press-Statement-Re-Commonwealth-v.-Cox?transfer=e8373ba5-894d-48c5-bc09-5e79842a371b

Great learning opportunity!

You're invited to an engaging and thought‑provoking discussion on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the power of resilience with the renowned Dr. Alfiee Breland‑Noble. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, educator, or community member, this event offers insight, inspiration, and actionable steps toward creating a more healing and supportive community.

Reserve your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-community-conversation-with-dr-alfiee-breland-noble-tickets-1988934939946

Join us at APA's 4th National Prosecutorial Data and AI Summit! The Hon. Parisa Dehghani-Tafti will be providing remarks at the event.

📍 Washington, DC · June 11–12, 2026

Prosecutors, analysts, and legal tech practitioners — the APA 4th National Data & AI Summit is two days built entirely around one question: how do you actually put AI to work in your office?

Sessions on AI governance, workflow integration, data analytics, diversion programs, and building public trust through data transparency.

Hosted at the Urban Institute in partnership with Microsoft.

🎟 APA Members: $199 · Non-Members: $249
📋 CLE credit pending
⚠️ Official hotel block is full — book accommodations now.

Register 👇
https://members.apainc.org/ap/Events/Register/WqFezb8FaCJCE

This Saturday! Be sure to pre-register: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Commonwealth-Attorney/2026-Expungement-Clinic?transfer=d52a8de9-055b-442c-b881-ec8f80d3e66d

Please pre-register to join us at the Arlington County and City of Falls Church Expungement Clinic on May 30, 2026 to see if we can assist you in the expungement of your criminal record.

Learn more and register online:
https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Commonwealth-Attorney/2026-Expungement-Clinic?transfer=d52a8de9-055b-442c-b881-ec8f80d3e66d

We are excited to announce that we have been selected to join the 2026 Justice Innovation Accelerator cohort at the , where we will be recognizing problems within our justice system and creating solutions to advance our public safety efforts.

Over the next six months, we will identify the specific problem(s) to address and will build the team to find solutions. In October, along with nine other teams around the nation, we will convene at Vanderbilt Law School for an intensive, in-person workshop. We will arrive with real challenges, a team with authority to fix it, and a genuine commitment to building something that works.

We are extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity to be part of this initiative, and look forward to digging deeper into the injustices of our system and striving to improve it for our communities.