Charges Against Letitia James’ Grandnieces Under Scrutiny

NORFOLK, Va. — Over the past five years, New York Attorney General Letitia James’ grandnieces have faced a mix of eight felonies and three misdemeanors. Quite notably, the charges have often been reduced or dropped completely.

The women reside at James’ home in Norfolk, Virginia, a property that has drawn significant federal scrutiny. There are ongoing federal criminal charges against James, which may result in a lengthy prison sentence.

One grandniece, Kayla Thompson Hairston, 21, who is an OnlyFans model, was indicted in April 2024. She reportedly misrepresented a prior felony conviction when trying to purchase a firearm in Suffolk, Virginia. Court records reveal this allegation.

Authorities noted that she was previously prohibited from owning a handgun due to a juvenile felony charge of aggravated assault dating back to August 2020.

However, the gun-related charges were eventually dismissed. Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi (D) indicated that later investigation revealed the earlier juvenile charge had been downgraded to a misdemeanor.

Requests for clarification from Suffolk County Attorney Narendra Press regarding the dropped charges have gone unanswered.

A court official expressed concern that all charges were dismissed, especially in light of Thompson-Hairston’s violent background.

Former Fairfax County prosecutor Andrew Kersey remarked, “It’s puzzling why there were no consequences for such behavior,” after reviewing the court documents.

Last June, while out on bond following the gun incident, Thompson-Hairston was arrested again, this time for grand larceny after allegedly stealing about $1,600 in merchandise from a Norfolk Walmart.

She was later convicted of misdemeanor battery, which resulted in a 12-month suspended sentence, without serving time in jail, and was placed on unsupervised probation for the same duration.

Additionally, she was ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution and banned from all Walmart and Sam’s Club locations.

Fatehi mentioned that the sentence was consistent with Virginia guidelines, asserting that labeling Thompson-Hairston as a ‘felon’ wouldn’t serve public safety and could hinder her reintegration into society.

He expressed confidence that the Suffolk County Prosecutor’s Office would have proceeded with charges if there had been sufficient evidence for conviction.

Fatehi, at times critical of local officials’ approach to shoplifting cases, claimed he was unaware of James’ familial ties to Thompson-Hairston. He previously described a criminal investigation into James’ property as “political retaliation.”

Thompson’s sister, Nakia Thompson, 36, also has a troubled history and is currently wanted in Forsyth County, North Carolina, for failing to comply with probation requirements.

Both Thompson women have been arrested multiple times, including for unrelated charges connected to assaulting police officers and stealing from retail stores.

When Nakia faced a judge, most charges had effectively vanished, resulting in a plea to a couple of lesser offenses and a suspended prison sentence along with probation and financial penalties.

At a recent rally for a New York City mayoral candidate, James insisted she would not back down and firmly denied any wrongdoing.

The current legal troubles surrounding James revolve around the property where Thompson resides, which James had declared as a “second home” on her mortgage documents.

Lindsey Harrigan, the U.S. attorney for Virginia’s Eastern District, suggested that James’ declaration has saved her significant money but prosecutors countered that her tax filings reflected rental income from the property.

Thompson claimed in an interview that she did not pay rent after moving in.