The two men who confessed to the murders, one of whom is an undocumented immigrant, are set to serve only five years in prison thanks to plea agreements with progressive prosecutors in Virginia.
Mardin Anibal Guzmán and Wis Alonso Sorto-Portillo pleaded guilty to the mob killing of Nicasio Hernandez Gonzalez, whose body displayed severe injuries, discovered in Fairfax County in 2024. They were charged with second-degree murder by mob, receiving a sentence of 25 years that includes a suspension of 20 years, leaving them with only five years to serve. The judge accepted this deal.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano was instrumental in securing these guilty pleas, as he argued that the case lacked crucial physical evidence—something that could have led to much longer prison sentences.
Descano’s office justified the plea deal, stating it was the only way to ensure incarceration for the defendants. “There was no DNA or any physical evidence at the scene. Witnesses were too scared to come forward or cooperate with us,” they mentioned.
Immigration officials confirmed that Guzmán is an undocumented citizen from Honduras, having entered the U.S. illegally in 2018. In 2019, an immigration judge ordered his deportation. ICE reported that they lodged multiple detainer claims against him in 2022 and 2023, but he was released from custody by the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Prior to the murder charge, Guzmán had a criminal history that included robbery and assault. Notably, ICE had no record of any interactions with Sorto-Portillo.
According to police reports, Hernandez-Gonzalez’s body was found in a wooded area near Route 29 in Oakton just after 3 p.m. on July 20, 2024. Both Guzmán, aged 27, and Sorto-Portillo, 45, who did not have a permanent address, were originally charged with aggravated assault by mob. A third individual, Wilmer Adri Guzmán, 20, was later apprehended in Washington, D.C.
Since taking office in 2020, Steve Descano has pushed for reforms that include ending cash bail requests and implementing policies aimed at reducing incarceration rates.
This incident occurs amidst reports of multiple murders involving undocumented immigrants this year in Fairfax County, which has raised alarm. The Department of Homeland Security highlighted these concerns on social media, urging Virginia leaders to consider policy changes that allow undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes to remain in communities.
The county continues to face challenges related to illegal immigrant crime, with reports indicating that three of the four homicides this year were linked to undocumented individuals. “Governor Spanberger should end the protection policies that allow these individuals to take to the streets,” the agency commented.
As of now, there has been no response from Governor Spanberger to multiple media inquiries regarding this situation.
