Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares
State Government: Agencies/Departments/Divisions | State Elected - Attorney General
Recent News About Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares
-
Operation Ceasefire Secures Sentence for Portsmouth Gun Crime, Says Attorney General Miyares
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced today that a Portsmouth man has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing multiple firearms and a machinegun conversion device as a convicted felon. Michael Jerrod Scott, 40, was found in possession of firearms, ammunition, drugs, and cash during a search at his residence in Portsmouth."It’s illegal for convicted felons to possess firearms, and those who do should expect to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," said Attorney General Miyares.The announcement was made by a joint statement from... -
Attorney General Miyares Launches New Public Awareness Tools for “One Pill Can Kill” Campaign
Attorney General Miyares has launched a new public awareness initiative called “One Pill Can Kill” aimed at reducing opioid deaths, educating Virginians on the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs, and providing community resources. Speaking about the campaign, Attorney General Miyares stated, “The opioid epidemic has impacted every corner of the Commonwealth. It’s through education, prevention, and accessible resources that Virginians can fight back against the threat opioids and fake prescription pills present to us and to our loved ones. One Pill Can Kill is the product of... -
Attorney General Miyares Joins Bipartisan Coalition Urging Congressional Action on Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform
Attorney General Miyares joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in urging Congress to reform the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to prioritize patients over profit-driven corporations. Miyares emphasized the need for legislative action against PBMs' unjustifiable increases in drug prices and for establishing structured systems to increase transparency in their practices."In the absence of meaningful federal regulations, Virginia enacted laws to protect consumers from exploitative PBM practices – legislation I supported while serving in the... -
Operation Ceasefire Secures Prison Sentence for Illegal Gun Crime
Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced that a Richmond man, Jon Terry, has been sentenced to 77 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Terry was arrested on May 24, 2023, in the Six Points area of Richmond when police officers encountered him and two other individuals while on foot patrol. Upon observing a bulge in Terry's pocket resembling a firearm, an officer attempted to speak to him, but Terry fled. After a foot pursuit, Terry was detained, and a loaded SCCY 9mm handgun was recovered.Terry's prior convictions for distribution of... -
Attorney General Miyares Joins Bipartisan Coalition Urging Congress to Stabilize Funding to Support Victims of Crime
Attorney General Jason Miyares of Virginia has partnered with a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general to call on Congress to provide crucial funding for the federal Crime Victims Fund (VOCA Fund) in 2024. The VOCA Fund plays a vital role in providing essential services and support to crime victims and survivors throughout the United States.According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime, the projected funding for victim service grants in fiscal year 2024 is expected to be $700 million lower than the previous year. This significant decrease... -
Operation Ceasefire Secures Guilty Plea in Hampton Armed Bank Robbery
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that a Virginia man has pleaded guilty to robbing the Old Point National Bank in Hampton while holding a bank customer at knifepoint. This significant development is a result of Attorney General Miyares' Operation Ceasefire, which aims to combat violent gun crime through rigorous prosecution and effective community prevention."I'm grateful for my Ceasefire prosecution team and our law enforcement partners' collaborative efforts to bring safety and justice to this case in the Peninsula," said Attorney General Miyares.The incident... -
Attorney General Miyares Issues Warning to Suspected Election Scam AI Robocallers
Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a group of attorneys general in sending a warning letter to Life Corporation (Life Corp), who allegedly sent scam election robocalls during the New Hampshire primary election. The calls allegedly used artificial intelligence to impersonate the president and discourage voters from participating in the primary."The right to free and fair elections is the bedrock of the American experiment. Organizations that intentionally mislead voters to take that right away are un-American and must be held accountable," said Attorney General... -
Martinsville Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking Meth and Cocaine
A Martinsville, Virginia man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine. Octavius Myron Johnson, 39, was found guilty of possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine after a jury trial in October 2023.Attorney General Jason Miyares praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in bringing Johnson to justice. He stated, "Thanks to the dedicated work of our law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, this drug trafficker will have to face the consequences of his... -
Attorney General Miyares’ Operation Ceasefire Secures Prison Time for Chesapeake Gun Crime
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced today that a Chesapeake man, Christopher Lee Alexander, has been sentenced to 50 months in prison for illegally possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon. This successful prosecution is a result of the efforts of Operation Ceasefire, a partnership between local and federal agencies aimed at keeping repeat offenders off the streets and ensuring the safety of our communities.The incident took place on June 6, 2021, when a Chesapeake police officer approached Alexander's vehicle from behind, mistakenly believing that he was... -
Attorney General Miyares Joins 26-State Coalition Urging Congress to Defund U.N. Agency that Employed Terrorists
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a coalition of 26 states in calling for Congress to defund the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) due to its ties to terrorism. The coalition sent a letter to U.S. Congressional leadership, highlighting the alarming connection between UNRWA and terrorist activities.UNRWA made headlines recently when it announced the firing of over a dozen employees who were found to have participated in a terrorist attack against Israel in October. However, this is not the first time that UNRWA has been linked to terrorism.... -
Attorney General Miyares Announces $150 Million Multistate Settlement with Hikma Pharmaceuticals
Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced a $150 million multistate settlement in principle with opioid manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals. The settlement comes as a result of Hikma's role in fueling the opioid crisis by failing to monitor and report suspicious opioid orders from potentially illegal distributors.Hikma produces a range of branded and generic opioid products and sells hundreds of millions of opioid doses every year. From 2006 to 2021, the company neglected to adequately monitor suspicious orders, despite being aware of the inadequacy and potential... -
Attorney General Miyares Announces $350M Settlement with Publicis for Opioid Marketing
Attorney General Jason Miyares of Virginia has announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health, a global marketing and communications firm, to resolve investigations into its role in the prescription opioid crisis. The settlement aims to provide more financial support for treatment and recovery efforts, establish lasting infrastructure, and ultimately save lives.In a statement, Attorney General Miyares expressed the impact of the opioid epidemic on communities in Virginia: "The opioid epidemic has impacted every community in Virginia, destroying... -
Attorney General Miyares Sues NCAA Over NIL Restrictions
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), claiming that the organization's restrictions on student-athletes' ability to benefit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights violate federal antitrust law. Joined by the Attorney General of Tennessee, Miyares argues that these restrictions hinder the free market and unfairly limit the opportunities available to student-athletes."Student-athletes generate massive revenues for the NCAA, its members, and corporations within the... -
Attorney General Miyares Joins 27-State Coalition Supporting Texas Border Defense Barriers
Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a coalition of 27 states in supporting Texas's efforts to defend its border. In a letter to the Biden Administration, the coalition expresses their concern over the unchecked invasion of undocumented migrants crossing the southern border, which poses a grave threat to national security and fuels the surge in drug and human trafficking.The letter highlights the Biden Administration's actions, which the coalition argues have worsened the crisis instead of mitigating it. Border Patrol agents, acting on the administration's orders,... -
Operation Ceasefire Secures Prison Time for Richmond Gun Crimes
Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced that a Richmond man has been sentenced to two years in prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing a machine gun. The successful prosecution is a result of Operation Ceasefire, an initiative aimed at removing repeat, violent offenders from the streets.The convicted felon, Dai'Quan Jarrvel Lane, was seen displaying a firearm on a live social media video feed by detectives from the Richmond Police Department. Recognizing Lane as a convicted felon, law enforcement personnel believed him to be in the... -
Attorney General Miyares Announces Latest Win Against Martin Shkreli for Illegal Scheme to Monopolize Lifesaving Drug
Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced a significant victory in the case against Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Vyera Pharmaceuticals. A federal appeals court has upheld a court order that found Shkreli guilty of engaging in illegal and monopolistic behavior. Shkreli is accused of maintaining a monopoly over the lifesaving drug Daraprim by increasing its price by over 4,000 percent.The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the decision of the District Court for the Southern District of New York, which found Shkreli in violation of both federal and... -
Attorney General Miyares’ Sexual Assault Initiative Helps to Solve Two Hampton Roads Cold Cases
Attorney General Jason Miyares of the Commonwealth of Virginia has announced that the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) team of the Office of Attorney General has successfully solved two cold cases in Hampton Roads. The cases involved the murders of David Knobling and Robin Edwards in Isle Of Wight in 1987, and the murder of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell in Hampton in 1989. These cases remained unsolved for decades until DNA evidence linked Alan W. Wilmer Sr. to the crimes. It was confirmed that Edwards and Howell were sexually assaulted.The SAKI team played a crucial role... -
Attorney General Miyares Joins Brief Asking SCOTUS to Reverse Colorado Supreme Court Ballot Disqualification of Trump
Attorney General Miyares Joins Brief Asking SCOTUS to Reverse Colorado Supreme Court Ballot Disqualification of TrumpJan 19, 2024RICHMOND, VA – Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a decision from Colorado that kept former President Donald Trump off the ballot for that state’s Presidential Primary Elections.The coalition of 25 states argues that Congress must decide whether to disqualify a person from office ineligible under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment."In declaring that former President Donald... -
Attorney General Miyares Launches New Television Ad for Operation Ceasefire
Attorney General Jason Miyares of Virginia has unveiled a new television advertisement as part of the Operation Ceasefire campaign. The 30-second spot, titled "Game Over," aims to raise awareness about the consequences of gun crime in Virginia.In the ad, Attorney General Miyares emphasizes that gun violence is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. He states, "Gun violence is not a game. As your Attorney General, I'm facing it head-on. This public awareness campaign will send a strong message to at-risk youth and repeat offenders that if you commit a gun crime in... -
New York Stock Exchange Withdraws Pro-ESG Proposal Following Attorney General Miyares Letter of Protest
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has withdrawn a proposed rule change that would have allowed it to list "Natural Asset Companies" (NACs) on the exchange, following opposition from a group of attorneys general. NACs are a new type of corporate structure that aims to take land off the market to promote Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies at the expense of economic growth.Attorney General Miyares of Virginia, who led the protest against the proposal, expressed his satisfaction with the NYSE's decision. He stated, "The NYSE withdrawing their proposal is a...