A 22-year-old Burke woman has been locked up for more than a decade for fueling a violent crime spree that terrorized northern Virginia businesses. Ariel Monet-Viola Long was sentenced today to 138 months in federal prison for robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, closing the book on a string of armed heists spanning late 2015 to mid-2016.
Long pleaded guilty on July 19, admitting she played a critical role in supporting her boyfriend, Larry Pyos, Jr., who used handguns to rob at least six commercial spots: Good Fortune Supermarket, Shri Krishna Grocery, Dollar Power Store, Ding How Carry-Out, Hong Kong Palace, and a Subway location. He also robbed a man on the street outside the Laze Café in Falls Church. Long didn’t pull the trigger, but she kept the machine running.
Court documents reveal Long lived with Pyos and was fully aware of his armed robberies. She purchased the handguns used in each crime and, on multiple occasions, served as his getaway driver—coolly speeding away from chaos she helped create. Her actions weren’t passive; they were calculated, enabling a pattern of fear across neighborhoods already on edge.
U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee handed down the sentence in Alexandria, where federal authorities painted Long as more than just an accomplice—she was a supplier, planner, and facilitator. By arming Pyos and shielding him with wheels, she shared responsibility for the terror inflicted on clerks and customers during those violent holdups.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Rich and Tyler McGaughey. The announcement was made by Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police—highlighting the multi-agency crackdown on street-level armed violence.
Public records, including court filings and case details, are available through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the District Court’s website, or via PACER under Case No. 1:16-cr-150. Long’s conviction underscores the federal reach in holding not just shooters, but enablers, accountable for violent crime waves.
Related Federal Cases
- Jesse Lockhart Gets 14 Years for Armed Robbery, Obstruction · Washington
- Arthur Santiful Gets 59 Years for 10 Armed Robberies · Washington
- D.C. Felon Gets Two Years for Stolen Glock · Washington
- Banger Bandit Gets 24-Month Lockup for Street-Firearm Flub · Washington
- Stolen Heat: D.C. Man Gets Two Years for Illegal Gun · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
