Crime
How Virginia’s New Clean Slate Law—and a Soros Prosecutor’s Mishaps—Could Hide Admitted Child Molester’s Criminal Case
Fairfax County prosecutor Steve Descano has an extensive history of handing out cushy plea deals eligible for sealing
Fairfax County, Va., commonwealth's attorney Steve Descano (D.) / Twitter
Jessica Schwalb
July 6, 2026
Virginia man Ronnie Reel was facing life in prison after admitting to police that he sexually abused an 11-year-old boy. He was charged with object sexual penetration, forcible sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery against a minor after sharing granular details about his crimes during an 18-minute recorded phone call with the victim’s mother, who thought the case was a slam dunk.
But mishaps by Fairfax County prosecutor Steve Descano’s office landed Reel a cushy deal that allowed him to plead guilty to a misdemeanor. As a result, he could be eligible to ask the court to permanently hide his case from the public under a new Virginia law.
The so-called clean slate law, passed by a Democrat-controlled legislature and signed by former governor Ralph Northam (D.) in 2021, went into effect Wednesday. It automatically seals some misdemeanors, such as marijuana and disorderly conduct charges, if the offender isn’t convicted of another crime after seven years. Ex-convicts can ask the court to seal other misdemeanors after the same time period or select felonies after 10 years. Prosecutors will still have access to the records, but they would be hidden from landlords, employers, and others conducting background checks.
https://freebeacon.com/crime/how-virginias-new-clean-slate-law-and-a-soros-prosecutors-mishaps-could-hide-admitted-child-molesters-criminal-case/
