An illegal immigrant from El Salvador, 35‑year‑old Ricardo Leonel Mejia, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping an 11‑year‑old girl in Virginia Beach.
Mejia was hired in 2024 to renovate a family’s bathroom in the coastal city. The victim’s mother discovered him in the daughter’s bedroom after he forced open a locked door with a butter knife. The child’s mother later saw the boy flee through a window, but authorities quickly identified and arrested Mejia.
The judge in Virginia Beach Circuit Court found him guilty of multiple counts of child rape, indecent liberties with a minor, and statutory burglary. After the sentencing, Mejia apologized to the victim, saying he was sorry for the pain she was experiencing. He was booked into the Virginia Beach Correctional Center on October 9.
While Mejia serves his sentence at the Virginia Department of Corrections, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) will transfer him into their custody once he is released. ICE confirmed that Mejia entered the U.S. illegally and has already issued a detainer citing his serious crimes.
The case has sparked a debate among Virginia leaders about how the state works with federal immigration authorities. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger said she would reverse the former governor’s policies and push Virginia to become a “sanctuary state.” A sanctuary policy would stop local police from helping ICE in cases like Mejia’s.
Virginia GOP candidate Winsome Earle‑Sears posted a scathing response on X, calling her reaction “sickened beyond words” as she denounced the state’s policy shift.
The sentencing of Mejia highlights the tensions over immigration enforcement in Virginia. Polls show residents are divided on whether local agencies should cooperate with ICE, especially in violent criminal cases. As the debate continues, Virginia’s leaders face pressure to balance public safety concerns with civil‑rights commitments.
Sources: Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office, Virginia Department of Corrections, ICE statements, political statements from Spanberger and Earle‑Sears.
Source: New York Post
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