Letitia James’ criminal kin have been charged 11 times in 5 years — but keep getting off easy

NORFOLK, Virginia — Letitia James, New York’s Attorney General, has seen her grandnieces face a total of eight felony and three misdemeanor charges over the last five years, with all charges either downgraded or dropped completely.

The relatives reside in Norfolk, VA, properties owned by James, which have come under heightened federal examination recently due to mortgage documents she signed. This scrutiny stems from a federal indictment that could potentially land the state’s highest legal officer 60 years in prison.

Cayla Thompson-Hairston, 21, known for her OnlyFans modeling and explicit social media activity, received felony charges in April 2024 for allegedly falsifying information about a felony record while attempting to purchase a firearm in Suffolk, VA, as per court documents.

Law enforcement indicated she was prohibited from gun ownership due to a juvenile felony from August 2020 for malicious wounding.

Ultimately, however, these firearm charges were dismissed entirely.

Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi, a Democrat, stated that prosecutors eventually discovered that the juvenile charges were reduced to a misdemeanor.

The Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, Narendra Pleas, also a Democrat, did not answer The Post’s inquiry regarding the rationale behind dropping the charges.

A legal analyst expressed concern over the complete dismissal of the charges, especially considering Thompson-Hairston’s violent past.

“There’s nothing in the documentation that clarifies why the prosecutor would abstain from following through with some form of repercussions for this conduct,” noted Andrew Kersey, a former prosecutor in Fairfax County, who reviewed the paperwork obtained by The Post.

“Prosecutors wield significant power, and they have the capacity for mercy; however, charges aren’t simply dropped like that.”

In June of the previous year, while still out on bond from her gun incident, Thompson-Hairston faced arrest again for grand larceny, accused of stealing approximately $1,600 worth of goods from a Walmart in Norfolk, according to court documents.

She ultimately pled guilty to misdemeanor petit larceny and received a 12-month suspended prison sentence, never serving time in jail, along with unsupervised probation for the same duration.

Additionally, Thompson-Hairston was banned from all Walmart and Sam’s Club locations and ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution, as detailed in the arrest warrant reviewed by The Post.

Fatehi explained to The Post that her sentence aligned with Virginia state guidelines, asserting that labeling Ms. Hairston as a ‘felon’ would have compromised public safety and hindered her ability to reintegrate as a citizen, ultimately incurring costs for the public.

In regard to the dismissal of the weapon-related charges, Fatehi expressed confidence that if the Suffolk prosecutor’s office had sufficient evidence, a conviction would have taken place.

Unbeknownst to Fatehi was the familial connection of Thompson-Hairston to James, but he remarked in April that the investigation into James’ properties in his district was motivated by “political retaliation.”

Fatehi has frequently found himself at odds with local authorities, facing accusations of being too lenient on shoplifting offenses.

Nakia Thompson, Thompson-Hairston’s 36-year-old sister and another niece of James, also has a troubling record and is currently wanted in Forsyth County, North Carolina, for not completing her probation, according to officials.

In addition to having been arrested twice for assaults on police in North Carolina, Nakia and Cayla were detained in August 2019 for attempting to steal almost $2,000 worth of goods from Macy’s and Dillard’s in Chesapeake, VA, prior to relocating into their aunt’s residences.

Nakia was charged with two counts of grand larceny and additional offenses, including petit larceny 3rd offense, possession of burglary tools, and three charges of aiding in the delinquency of a minor, as she was accompanied by her teenage sister and two small children during the incidents, according to records obtained by The Post.

However, by the time she appeared in court, most charges had dissipated.

Nakia managed to plead down to a single count each of petit and grand larceny, receiving a sentence of six years, six months of which were in actual confinement.

She was subjected to two years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $2,020 in fees, along with restrictions barring her from all Macy’s and Dillard’s locations for the next decade, according to court documents.

Letitia James has categorically denied all allegations against her, proclaiming, “I will not bow” during a recent rally supporting NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The charges leveled against James are tied to the residence occupied by Thompson, which she had described as a “second home” in mortgage documentation.

President Trump’s appointee for the US Attorney of the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, claimed that James’ declaration resulted in a savings of $19,000 in interest and fees while prohibiting her from profiting off the property.

Nonetheless, prosecutors alleged in the indictment that James’ tax documentation indicated she received rental income from the property and utilized tax deductions associated with it.

Thompson stated to the New York Times that she did not pay rent while living in the house.