Crime & Safety

Fairfax County Ready to Seek Charges Against Alleged 'Serial Burglar'

Brad Edmonds is accused of breaking into more than 100 homes in Northern Virginia last year

Raymond F. Morrogh, commonwealth's attorney for Fairfax County, made it known Thursday that he intends to file charges against accused “serial burglar” Brad Edmonds. In May, Morrogh (D), had said there wasn’t enough evidence.

Thursday he said Fairfax County police have worked very hard developing the case against Edmonds.

“We’d always intended on going forward with charges against him,” Morrogh said by phone Thursday. “I anticipate sometime soon we’ll file the paperwork.”

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Morrough had said in May that he was unsure there was enough evidence to charge Brad Edmonds in Fairfax. "I'm not sure if there's enough evidence in any of the Fairfax cases," he said then.

Lucy Caldwell, spokeswoman for Fairfax County police, said the agency has no time frame for when charges will be filed. Charges must first be filed with the police first.

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According to Washington Post on Thursday, Edmonds, 35, of Maryland, was sentenced to 33 years in jail this week after he was convicted in March of breaking into a Montgomery County, MD, home. Ronald Gottlieb, public defender for Edmonds, refused to comment Thursday on any other legal action against his client.

Morrogh said prosecution against Edmonds is contingent on a pending federal firearms case against him that would supersede a Fairfax County case. In November, Fairfax County . Police believe Edmonds broke into more than 100 homes in Northern Virginia.

Morrogh said the decision to file charges against Edmonds now has nothing to do with the upcoming commonwealth's attorney primary coming up in August. He said this is a serious case that needed to be prosecuted. He said Edmonds’ crimes should be taken seriously.

“The most conservative approach was to wait our turn,” Morrogh said.

Morrogh said Edmonds will be eligible for parole in Montgomery County in 10 years. He said the federal gun charge will most likely slow down any prosecution in Fairfax County. Calls to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office on Thursday were not immediately returned.

“They’re not going to give him to us until they’re done with their case against him,” Morrogh said. “This is common in cases involving multiple jurisdictions.”


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