Fairfax Co prosecutors swore at court security officers during screening: sheriff's office

Fairfax County sheriff’s office says prosecutors were abusive during security screening

Prosecutors in Fairfax County have been accused of acting in an abusive manor toward security personnel during screenings.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - In Fairfax County, sheriff’s officials are accusing the county’s top prosecutors of disrespectful and unprofessional behavior during a courthouse security screening.

A sheriff’s office report says Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Kyle Manikas cursed at court security officers because they thought they should be exempt from the process.

In September, the Fairfax County courthouse started choosing random days to do security screenings of every person entering the courthouse, to include those who are typically not required to be screened.

The sheriff’s office report says on Sept. 28, during one of those screenings, Descano told security officers he was exempt, saying "Don’t you know who I am?" "I’m the top law enforcement officer in Fairfax County."

Officers allege he threw his umbrella directly into the X-ray machine and threw his items into security bins.

The report says both Descano and Manikas used expletives to express what they thought of the screening.

The sheriff’s office provided video with no audio showing part of the incident after Descano and Manikas got through the security screening.

The report says an officer told Descano the new screening process was ordered by the court and Descano told him those people work for him.

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Video shows Descano showing an officer his employee ID badge. The report says he told him who he was and why he shouldn’t have to be screened.

Descano declined an interview with FOX 5. His office released a statement saying, "As the full video reflects, the report paints an inconsistent picture of what actually occurred."

Fairfax County