Former Defense Attorney Judge Grants Cashless Bail in Iwo Jima Monument Case

A Prince William General District Court judge who previously practiced criminal defense granted cashless bail to the man accused of attacking the Iwo Jima monument near Quantico with a sledgehammer. The order was stayed after the Commonwealth objected, and a circuit court judge has continued the bond appeal to Monday morning.

Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford, faces felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument. Prince William County police say officers found him late Wednesday night, October 21, around 10:15 p.m., striking the limestone statue just outside the main gate at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Police say he removed the head of one of the six Marines depicted in the sculpture. Damage is estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The monument is a limestone replica of the famous Iwo Jima flag-raising, created by artist Felix de Weldon. The larger, better-known version stands at Arlington National Cemetery. Officers arrested Maldonado Soriano at the scene.

Federal sources told Fox News that Maldonado Soriano is a Mexican national who entered the United States illegally in December 1999. He was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status by the Obama administration in 2014. That status was later renewed, most recently by the Biden administration in 2024. He lost DACA status in August 2026 when it was not renewed by the Trump administration.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers responded: “This criminal illegal alien’s dream is over. Maldonado Soriano disrespected our brave service members and defaced a beautiful monument that honored their sacrifice. President Trump has secured our border and is deporting illegal criminals who hate our country and our values.”

A magistrate initially ordered him held without bond. General District Court Judge Fernando Villarroel, appointed in July 2025, then granted cashless bail. Before the bench, Villarroel practiced criminal defense in Manassas, including at The Irving Law Firm. His work focused on criminal and traffic cases, DUI, felonies, and post-conviction matters. He is a member of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has handled court-appointed criminal cases.

After the Commonwealth’s attorney objected, the judge stayed his own release order so a higher court could hear the bail objection. On Friday, retired Prince William Circuit Court Judge Craig D. Johnston stepped in, continued the bond appeal hearing to Monday at 9:30 a.m. after defense attorney Barry Zwyg said Maldonado Soriano had not been notified of the Friday date, and ordered him held until that hearing.

This is not the first time cashless or unsecured bond has come up in the same jurisdiction. On September 4, 2026, a 16-year-old girl was caught in the crossfire and killed during a shootout in Old Town Manassas near the train depot during the First Friday public festival. Police said she was an innocent bystander. One of the suspects in that killing had previously been released on an unsecured bond after a firearm-related arrest earlier in the year. That case is handled in the same Prince William County courthouse system.

While courts sort out the bail question, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign to restore the monument. On its website the foundation states, “The monument was damaged. The legacy endures.” It describes the sculpture as depicting one of the most recognizable moments in American history, the raising of the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. The foundation says one of the monument’s figures has lost its head and additional portions have sustained significant damage.

Major General James W. Lukeman, a retired USMC and president and CEO of the foundation, said, “This monument represents far more than a historic image. It honors the courage and sacrifice of the Marines who fought at Iwo Jima, and the generations who have followed in their footsteps.” He added that the history represented by the monument belongs to every generation of Marines and is an important part of the nation’s history. Donations are accepted at marineheritage.org/restore-iwo-jima.

The case sits at the intersection of protection of historic military monuments, the use of cashless bail in a serious vandalism case, and the immigration status of the defendant. Virginia Insider will continue to follow Monday’s hearing and any further developments on the restoration.

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