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Man convicted of attempted rape after attack on Northern Virginia motel housekeeper

By
FOX 5 DC
Fairfax
Published September 21, 2026 7:29 PM EDT
Published September 21, 2026 7:29 PM EDT
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The Brief

    • An Alexandria man was found guilty of attempted rape after he attacked a motel housekeeper in Fairfax.
    • A witness identified Oscar Barrios as a suspect after surveillance footage captured him walking toward the motel.
    • In a letter written to a friend, Barrios allegedly considered whether they should convince the victim not to testify.

FAIRFAX, Va. - An Alexandria man was convicted of attempted rape after he attacked a housekeeper at a Northern Virginia motel in October 2025, according to the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney.

What we know:

During a two-day trial, prosecutors shared the details of 47-year-old Oscar Barrios’ attack at the Quality Inn Mount Vernon on Oct. 4, 2025.

According to court records, a 51-year-old woman was cleaning an empty room in the motel when Barrios entered and locked the door behind him.

The housekeeper attempted to leave, but Barrios hit her on the head with a beer bottle before grabbing her and attempting to pull her pants down, prosecutors said. Barrios allegedly told the woman to "relax and enjoy it."

Barrios knocked the woman’s phone out of her hand when she tried to call for help. When he got up to grab the phone, the woman was able to run out of the door, according to court documents.

Surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store showed Barrios buying a beer bottle and walking toward the motel shortly before the attack. Prosecutors said a witness identified Barrios to police later that day.

READ MORE | Fairfax County motel attack: Housekeeper escapes attempted rape

He was arrested two days later at a nearby bus stop and was wearing a lanyard that matched the one seen in surveillance footage on the day of the incident.

While Barrios was in custody, the Fairfax Sheriff’s Department intercepted a letter he wrote to a friend asking whether they should find the victim at her job and try to get her not to testify. The letter indicated that Barrios and the friend considered giving the victim money to not come to court.

"People shouldn’t be afraid to go to work or do other daily activities in Fairfax County," said Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano. "My office will prosecute anyone who threatens that sense of safety."

In the letter, Barrios gave an excuse for his behavior during the attack but did not deny it, prosecutors said.

Barrios could face up to 10 years in prison. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on December 4.

The Source: Information in this article is from the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney. 

FairfaxVirginia CrimeNews