NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi is criticizing the city council's unanimous decision to prosecute misdemeanor shoplifting offenses — or thefts under $1,000.
Spurred by a recent ordinance passed by city council, Fatehi revoked the Norfolk City Attorney's Office's power to prosecute criminal cases in circuit court.
Fatehi described the new ordinance as redundant — "nearly identical," as he put it in a letter posted to the city's news website — pointing to state law that already criminalizes shoplifting. He also said his office does not have the resources to effectively staff these cases.
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"If the [Mayor Kenny Alexander] and Council are truly concerned about the handling of misdemeanor shoplifting, they could do as Hampton has done and provide sufficient funding to their Commonwealth’s Attorney to have a prosecutor in General District Court on those cases," Fatehi wrote.
Fatehi emphasized that his office already handles felony-level shoplifting cases, said his office has prosecuted hundreds of cases this year, with a reported 11% decrease in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Alexander introduced the ordinance during his annual State of the City address in April.
Norfolk
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"A fair and just justice system must ensure that criminal behavior, including retail theft, carries appropriate consequences to maintain public safety," Alexander told the audience. "Enforcing this crime under city code will allow Norfolk to take action where the Commonwealth has not."
On April 4, Fatehi suggested to News 3 that the mayor’s comments may be politically motivated.
Fatehi, who has served as Norfolk's CA since 2022, is being challenged in his reelection bid by John Butler in the Democratic primary. Butler has been endorsed by Mayor Kenny Alexander, Sheriff Joe Baron, and half of the city council.
“If the mayor thinks this is a problem," Fatehi told News 3 in April, "the easy solution is to pay my lawyers and give me the lawyers that I need to do my job."
