Westpark suspect pleads guilty

By Audrey Carpenter

The first of four people charged in connection with setting fires inside the former Westpark conference center pled guilty Jan. 18 in Loudoun County Circuit Court.

Marco Alexander Mendoza Monjaras, of Leesburg, pled guilty to one felony count of arson and one felony count of burglary for entering the vacant clubhouse the night of Jan. 23, 2023. According to court documents, Mendoza Monjaras entered the building with three friends to “party” and, in order to stay warm, lit fires with materials found inside the building.

“There was never an intention to burn down the building; rather the group was trying to stay warm,” said his attorney, Burke Walker.

The conference center has wire fencing around the perimeter with several “No Trespassing” and surveillance signs. Despite this, the conference center has been extensively vandalized since The golf course closed in 2019 and the building has been vacant since that time.

On March 16, 2023 Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office arrested Mendoza Monjaras, Elizabeth Caudill of Purcellville, and Adrian Mario Larrazabal of Leesburg in connection to the January fire. A fourth person, Eric Alexander Iraheta-Serrano, was arrested April 19, 2023 for his alleged involvement.

Authorities were investigating fires that occurred at the site on Jan. 9, 2023 and used surveillance
and digital forensics analysis to identify the suspects.

The sentencing date has not yet been set for Mendoza Monjaras. The charges carry two to five years incarceration. He has been held in the Loudoun County Detention Center since June 2023 on an unrelated charge of brandishing a weapon, which he also pled guilty to.

Caudill has a trial set for April 20. Iraheta-Serrano has a trial set for May 20. Larrazabal had charges against him dismissed.