Former Day-Care Worker Sentenced on Sodomy Charges

A former Centreville day-care worker was sentenced to 17 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sodomy charges in connection with allegations that he molested a 4-year-old girl under his care at the facility.

Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows on March 25 sentenced Siyamand Salehzadeh, 22, of Lavenham Court in the Manassas area of Prince William County, after Salehzadeh pleaded guilty to a single sodomy charge. Two other charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

The incident took place while Salehzadeh was working at the Minnieland Private Day School on Compton Village Drive in the Centreville area last year. Salehzadeh sexually assaulted the girl who was under his care at the facility, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Mark Sullivan said. The girl reported the attack to her father, who called police, Sullivan said. 

After police issued an arrest warrant for Salehzadeh on Sept. 24, he was captured the next day at the Canadian border in New York State where he was attempting to leave the country. In his possession was his own U.S. passport as well as his brother’s Iranian passport. He was later extradited back to Fairfax County.

The courtroom was filled with the parents of other children who attended the day-care as well as Salehzadeh’s family members.  The parents of the victim did not appear at the hearing. Salehzadeh’s mother was allowed to address the court and asked that the judge show mercy towards her son.

“I understand that he has to be punished, but try to sentence him to something that is just not so severe,” she said.

Sullivan, who at one point was overcome by emotion when addressing the judge about the case, asked for a more extensive, 30-year sentence. “When this happened, her childhood ended,” Sullivan said. “He was in a position to protect her and he took advantage of it.”

When Bellows announced the sentence, which was far more than the six years requested by Salehzadeh’s attorney, James Hurd, the defendant’s mother gasped and broke down in tears. Salehzadeh also put his head down and then slumped in his chair. Neither Salehzadeh’s family or the parents of the victim had any comment after the hearing.